Correctional employee accused of smuggling drugs into DeSoto Correctional Institution
A correctional employee at the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into the DeSoto Correctional Institution.
Local doctors working to speed up biopsy process
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Waiting to find out if a suspicious lump is cancerous can be incredibly stressful. Anything that speeds up the process and leads to faster treatment, if needed, is a huge help.
Local doctors are working to make biopsies more efficient.
Physician assistant Aileen Fiallo said that it would be nearly impossible without a live ultrasound guide.
“We put it on the neck, or wherever the mass is, and with guidance from the ultrasound, we stick a little needle into the neck mass,” said Fiallo. “And we could visually see it through the ultrasound. I’m able to actually see that I’m going to the correct area.”
At Precision Healthcare Specialists in Fort Myers, an on-site pathologist reviews the sample immediately, speeding up the biopsy process.
“It does save a lot of time, and it’s more efficient for the patient because we could tell the person doing the procedure whether or not they’ve obtained enough material to provide a diagnosis or enough diagnostic information,” said Dr. Brian Babbin, a pathologist at Precision Healthcare Specialists.
The combination of in-office procedures and pathology provides quick answers. Many times, they can confirm cancer on the spot, saving significant time compared to sending out the biopsy.
“Everything’s so backed up that’s taking two, three weeks to get a biopsy done somewhere in a different location. And then when the patient comes back, this thing has grown significantly,” said Fiallo.
The process takes under an hour, giving cancer patients a head start in fighting their disease.
The full pathology workup takes one to two days, helping doctors make a final diagnosis by examining the biopsy along with any scans or other tests.
This helps identify the type of cancer and guides treatment options.