Muscle biopsy is a minor surgical procedure performed to diagnose disease involving muscle tissue. It will help your doctor to see if you have muscle disease.
Contents
- 1 Procedures Of Muscle Biopsy – Is There Any Risk In It?
- 2 How can a muscle biopsy help?
- 3 What are the risks and side effects of a muscle biopsy?
- 4 What to do before the procedure?
- 5 What happens during a muscle biopsy?
- 6 How to care for the wound site after the biopsy?
- 7 Call your doctor if you have:
Procedures Of Muscle Biopsy – Is There Any Risk In It?
The most commonly used muscles are the quadriceps at the front of the thigh, biceps, or the deltoid in the upper arm.
How can a muscle biopsy help?
Muscle biopsy provides useful information that helps your doctor diagnose certain conditions associated with:
- Muscle weakness or pain
- Inflammation of the blood vessels
- Investigating rare heart problems or brain disease
- To find out defects in the way your muscle metabolize or use energy
A muscle biopsy will often give your doctors further information so that they can advise you better about the cause likely condition and likely cause of your condition.
What are the risks and side effects of a muscle biopsy?
All operations have risks and side effects, your health care provider will discuss the risks of a muscle biopsy with you. The risk and side effects are rare. They include:
- Discomfort and bruising: after the procedure, you may have some minor discomfort and bruising around the biopsy site.
- Infection: there is a chance of infection any time when an incision is made or the skin is broken
- Allergic reaction to the local anesthetic or to the bandage
- Damage to the muscle tissues or tissues in the area (very rare)
What to do before the procedure?
- You don’t have to do much to prepare for this procedure, inform your provider if you have any allergies to local anesthesia (such as Novocain) or if you have any bleeding problems.
- It is important to tell your doctor at this stage if you are on any of the medications listed below;
- Aspirin
- Warfarin
- Heparin
- Clopidogrel
- Any oral anticoagulants, previously known as NOACS.
Your doctor will ask you to stops these medications before you have the biopsy.
- Before you schedule a biopsy, your provider will take a medical history and perform a physical examination. And as much as information through a blood test (including genetic blood test) and electric studies.
What happens during a muscle biopsy?
As this is a minor procedure it would be better if you take a shower before going to the hospital. You will not need to fast for the biopsy as it is performed under a local anesthetic.
- Once, you are at the hospital a gown will be provided to wear. Your nurse will check your details with you and will check your blood pressure, pulse, and temperature.
- You will be asked to sign a consent form that will state that you acknowledge and understand the nature of the procedure, any possible complications that may occur that you agree to undergo the procedure. Only sign once you are sure about the procedure. You will be taken into a treatment room, the surgeon will clean the area with an antiseptic solution. A local anesthetic called Liodacaine will be injected into the skin over the muscle to numb the pain.
- The surgeon will make an incision approximately 2 inches long. Three or four very small pieces of muscle tissue will be removed and sent to the laboratory. The removal of these tissues will not cause any weakness in your muscle. The skin will be stitched and dressing will be applied on the top of the incision. Usually, the procedure takes about 30 minutes or it can take slightly longer.
- It will take 4 weeks to get the exact results of the biopsy. A preliminary report may be available in seven days, and if appropriate, treatment could commence before a full report is available.
How to care for the wound site after the biopsy?
Follow these instructions when you get home:
- Keep your incision dry for the next 10 days
- It will be removed after 10 to 14 days, it can be done at your local CSPC
- The doctor will prescribe medicines for pain such as Tylenol with codeine or paracetamol take if necessary.
- Drink plenty of liquids and eat light meals on the first day or you can follow your usual routine if you feel well enough
- Undue exertion, such as heavy lifting or running, should be avoided until the sutures are removed.
Call your doctor if you have:
- Increasing pain or pain after two days on the incision site
- If you have any swelling, redness, or bleeding at the incision site
- If you have a fever of 101.5 degrees Celsius or higher for more than 24 hours
- If you cannot pee within 8 to 12 hours after the surgery
- vomiting
