A muscle biopsy can usually be obtained while you are awake and the area being biopsied is numbed by local anesthesia. A needle biopsy may be adequate in children and adults with chronic conditions. In this procedure, a needle in inserted into the muscle. A small "plug" of tissue remains in the needle when it is removed from the muscle. This tissue is sent to a pathologist for examination. More than one needle insertion may be needed to obtain a large enough specimen for testing and examination.
Open biopsy involves a small incision through the skin and into the muscle, so that a sample of muscle tissue can be removed from the affected area.
A muscle that has recently been traumatized, such as by an EMG needle, or that is affected by pre-existing condition, such as nerve compression, is not a good choice for a biopsy.
The muscle chosen for biopsy must be appropriate for the symptoms or suspected condition.
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