Curettage Biopsy
A curettage biopsy can be done on the surface of tumors or on small epidermal lesions with minimal to no topical anesthetic using a round curette blade. Diagnosis of basal cell cancer can be made with some limitation, as morphology of the tumor is often disrupted. The pathologist must be informed about the type of anesthetic used, as topical anesthetic can cause artifact in the epidermal cells. Liquid nitrogen or cryotherapy can be used as a topical anesthetic, however, freezing artifacts can severely hamper the dianosis of malignant skin cancers.
Read more about this topic: Skin Biopsy, Types