Muscle biopsy

This procedure is usually done while you are awake. Your health care provider will apply a numbing medicine (local anesthesia) to the biopsy area. There are two types of muscle biopsy: A needle biopsy involves inserting a needle into the muscle. When the needle is removed, a small piece of tissue remains in the…

No special preparation is usually needed. If you will have anesthesia, follow instructions on not eating or drinking anything before the test.

During the biopsy, there is usually little or no discomfort. You may feel some pressure or tugging. The anesthetic may burn or sting when injected (before the area becomes numb). After the anesthetic wears off, the area may be sore for about a week.

A muscle biopsy is done to find out why you have muscle weakness or your muscle enzyme lab tests are elevated and your provider suspects you have a muscle disease. A muscle biopsy may be done to help identify or detect: Inflammatory diseases of muscle (such as polymyositis or dermatomyositis ) Diseases of the…

A normal result means the muscle is normal.

A muscle biopsy can help diagnose the following conditions: Loss of muscle mass ( atrophy) Muscle disease that involves inflammation and a skin rash ( dermatomyositis ) Various muscular dystrophies ( Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other conditions) Destruction of the muscle ( myopathic changes ) Tissue death of the…

The risks of this test are small, but may include: Bleeding Bruising Damage to the muscle tissue or other tissues in the area (very rare) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

Selcen D. Muscle diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine . 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 389. Shepich JR. Muscle biopsy. In: Fowler GC, ed. Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 188. Warner WC, Sawyer JR.…