Analysis of factors influencing the diagnostic failure of intraoperative fine needle aspiration cytology in pancreatic cancer.

Intraoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology (IFNAC) of pancreatic lesions provides a safe method of rapid tissue diagnosis. Few studies have included a thorough statistical analysis of the factors influencing the diagnostic failure of IFNAC. IFNAC was performed on 196 patients during surgical procedures for pancreatic and periampullary masses over an 18-year period.