The effect of using different needle size on patient comfort and pain during the sonographically guided fine needle biopsy of thyroid nodules

Abstract Backround Fine needle biopsy has been used for many decades, but afew studies showed the relationship between pain and needle diameter. Object This study aimed to compare patients’ pain and satisfaction levels between 22 and 27-gauge (G) needles used for fine-needle biopsy of thyroid nodules. Materials and methods In our study, one hundred sixty-nine patients with thyroid nodule biopsies (159 nodules) were included. Patients with nodules were separated into two independent groups depending on which needle were used. The questionnaire was applied to all the patients after the thyroid biopsy. The main study method was the pain scale measuring a patient’s pain intensity, based on a self-report regarding Visual Analog Scale. The numeric variables between two groups used the Student t test, more than two independent groups used a one-way ANOVA test, and between two categorical variables used a Chi-square test. Results There was no statistically significant difference between 22 G and 27 G needles in terms of pain sensations. (P > 0.05). And also there was no statistical differences between gender, pattern of nodule and diameter of nodules. But the women is more prone to feel sensation than men. (P<0,05) Conclusion Thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy is one of the invasive methods that could cause unsatisfactory and pain in patients. The use of different gauges of biopsy can affect the biopsy pain and satisfaction. The results of our study showed that fine needle biopsy with 22-G needles had no difference when we compared it to 27- G needle biopsy