Skin Biopsy – What is it? Reasons for Biopsy, How to Perform Skin Biopsy? and More

What is Skin Biopsy?

A skin biopsy is a dermatological examination, and it is indicating for diagnosing a lesion or tumor of the skin, including melanoma, etc. During this examination, a fragment of skin is taken to be analyz in the laboratory. The operation is achieving primarily in a hospital setting. Several conditions must be respecting before and during the inspection to obtain an ideal result. Taking specific measures is also necessary after the study.

Reasons for Biopsy,

A skin biopsy includes taking a few millimetres of skin. A dermatologist or surgeon must perform it. The sample is taken under local anaesthesia on clean, uninfect skin. A dressing is apply after the operation. One or more sutures are sometimes needs to close the wound correctly. There are several biopsy techniques. The choice of the most suitable practice commonly depends on the size of the lesion, the indication and the risk of the Biopsy.

The most commonly uses biopsy techniques are:

Punch biopsy: This technique includes removing the skin using a punch with a very sharp cylindrical blade, the hole. It is shown when the area to be samples  is 2 to 6 mm in diameter. The intervention is very fast, ideal for a biopsy on a child.

The scalpel biopsy: the example will be  take in orange segments. For this technique, the placement of sutures is essential. A skin biopsy is necessary for an examination of the skin tissue. It is important to note that the earlier a skin tumour is treats, the greater the chances of recovery.

Skin Biopsy is Indicates in the Following Cases:

Diagnosis of skin tumours and specific dermatoses. Identification of the germs accountable for certain infectious, parasitic or microbial diseases. Validation of a diagnosis and direction of the treatment to be undertaken. Verification of complete removal of a lesion. You should know that the Biopsy can also remove specific lesions, particularly cancerous moles. This is an excisional biopsy.

PRECAUTIONS: MEASURES TO TAKE DURING A SKIN BIOPSY

It should be note that the testing  skin fragment must be thick enough to calculate the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. As this examination requires a skin opening, it is vital to observe some hygiene rules before and after the procedure. Before a skin biopsy procedure, it is recommends  to:

Do not take aspirin or other blood-thinning medications. It does not relate a product to the skin to be treats and does not picture the skin preserving  to the sun. After a skin biopsy procedure, it is advisable to. Clean the scar with an antiseptic and change the dressing every two or three days. Eliminate the sutures 15 days after the operation. Perform a compression bandage for 1 to 2 months if the sample is taken from an area that heals poorly (ear, shoulder, mid-sternal region).

How to perform a skin biopsy?

Skin biopsy is a technically simple procedure performing  with a 3 mm diameter punch under local anaesthesia. The process can be done in a consultation office, respecting rigorous asepsis. It lasts 15 minutes in total. This Biopsy can be performing  at several sites but generally on the same leg at two different locations (10 cm above the lateral malleolus and 10 cm on the outer edge of the thigh below the iliac crest). It is not cooperative to close the scar with stitches in most cases.

Before benefiting from a skin biopsy, it is necessary to report:

The use of anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents, any pathologies that may cause a risk of bleeding (hemophilia, etc.), an allergy to iodine or an anaesthetic product. After the Biopsy, the dressing is changes every day until healing is achieving  within a week. When stitches have been needs, they will be removing  by a nurse or the attending physician upon recovery. A prescription is provides to the patient for all of these local treatments.

There are very few complications after a skin biopsy, mainly the risk of delay healing. Local superinfections can also occur, primarily if local post-biopsy care is not perform. The skin sample is will be  take care of by a neuroanatomopathology laboratory capable of carrying out all the necessary analyses. Whenever, the biopsies performing  in the adult neurology department of the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital are sent to the laboratory of the Limoges University

Why a skin sample for analysis?

Skin biopsies are performing  to confirm a diagnosis of skin cancer (in 60% of cases), but not only: this examination can be performes to analyze a lesion due to an inflammatory dermatological disease or a rare dermatological disease

Where to take a skin sample?

The sample can be taking  directly in the laboratory. It is most often acute cutaneous involvement whose pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus and beta-hemolytic Streptococci.

When is a Skin Biopsy Will do ?

In which cases is it necessary. Skin biopsy is performing  when: An inflammatory skin disease requiring specific treatment is suspect. Skin cancer is suspect.

How to take a wound sample?

Tissue removal by scraping the base of the ulcer with a sterile curette or scalpel; – Take a sample by rubbing the periphery of the bottom of the ulcer with a swab; – This method is indicating for superficial samples and deep anfractuous wounds.

Conclusion

A skin biopsy involves taking a skin fragment to analyze the tiny nerve fibres present in the dermis under the microscope and measure their concentration. However, skin biopsy is a minimally invasive examination generally indicates  in assessing a neurological picture evoking small fibre neuropathy.