Diagnosing Heart Disease: Myocardial Biopsy

Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease) Slideshow

• 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.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Heart Transplant - Learn about heart transplant, the replacement of a person's heart with a healthy donor's heart. Complications include health of the patient, donor availability, and organ rejection.
• Myocarditis - Learn about myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by infections, viruses, or immune diseases such as sarcoidosis, lupus, pregnancy, and more.
• Cardiomyopathy (Dilated) - Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) can be inherited,but it is primarily caused by:Severe coronary artery disease, Alcoholism, thyroid disease, diabetes, viral infections of the heart, heart valvue abnormalities, toxic drugs

Read more Myocardial Biopsy related articles »

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