What is a frozen section during surgery?

A frozen section is a way of preparing and examining tissue quickly, used when an immediate answer is needed—for example, during surgery to give the surgeon a rapid diagnosis while you are still in the operating room.

A frozen section can be examined in about 15 to 20 minutes. This is much faster than the usual approach, in which tissue is chemically "fixed," embedded in wax, and examined over several days.

Fixed (permanent) sections preserve more detail and are more commonly used to make a final diagnosis. So a frozen-section result during surgery may be confirmed later by the permanent sections. Your healthcare team can explain how frozen sections were used in your care.