[Menghini needle biopsy (MNB). A valuable aid in the diagnosis of parotid tumors].

At the University Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic, Graz, the Menghini needle biopsy has been used in the diagnosis of parotid tumors for the last 12 years. In this kind of biopsy a tissue cylinder is obtained, which permits an exact histologic diagnosis. The Menghini needle biopsy can be easily performed. There is only little danger of injuring the facial nerve. The examination of 175 parotid tumors at our hospital has proved that the diagnosis was correct in 85% of the cases. Since the introduction of the Menghini needle biopsy, no increase in the relapse frequency has been found.