Diagnosing Heart Disease: Myocardial Biopsy

• Why do I need a Myocardial biopsy?
• How should I prepare for a myocardial biopsy?
• What can I expect during the myocardial biopsy procedure?

Myocardial biopsy, or cardiac biopsy, is procedure that involves using a bioptome (a small catheter with a grasping device on the end) to obtain a small piece of heart muscle tissue to send to a laboratory for analysis.

Why Do I Need a Myocardial Biopsy?

Your doctor uses myocardial biopsy to:

• Evaluate or confirm the presence of rejection after heart transplant.
• Diagnose myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or the cause of cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease).

How Should I Prepare for the Biopsy?

• You can wear whatever you like to the hospital, but it is a good idea to leave valuables, such as jewelry, at home. You will wear a hospital gown during the procedure.
• Your doctor or nurse will give you specific instructions about what you can and cannot eat or drink before the procedure.
• Ask your doctor what medications should be taken on the day of your test.
• If you are diabetic, ask your doctor how to adjust your medications the day of your test.
• Tell your doctor and/or nurses if you are allergic to anything.
• Arrange for someone to drive you home after the test.

What Can I Expect During the Procedure?

• After you change into a hospital gown, a nurse will start an intravenous (IV) line in your arm so that medications and fluids can be administered during the procedure.
• You will lie on a special table. If you look above, you will see a large camera and several TV monitors
• You will be awake and conscious during the entire procedure. The doctor will use medication to numb the area of your neck. A plastic introducer sheath (a short, hollow tube through which the catheter is placed) is inserted into a blood vessel. A bioptome will be inserted through the sheath and threaded to your right ventricle. An X-ray camera may be used to position the bioptome properly.
• After the bioptome has obtained samples of your heart muscle, (the sample is about the size of the top of a pin), the catheter is removed and firm pressure is held over the area to stop bleeding.
• The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center.

Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, WebMD, June 2004.

Portions of this page copyright © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2004

Last Editorial Review: 1/31/2005 10:50:22 AM

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