Neuromuscular Disorders (Muscle and Nerve Disorders) and Muscle / Nerve Biopsies

Neumuscular disorders cover the illnesses of muscles, nerves controlling the movements of the muscles and the points where these nerve stem from in the spinal cord. The most common muscle disorders among these are the "muscular dystrophia"; myasthenia and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neural disorders). Our department conducts studies with regard to diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. Muscle and nerve biopsies required for the diagnosis of some of these disorders can be carried out at the "Neuromuscular Disorders Laboratory" at our department. This laboratory is one of the two grand laboratories under the department of neurology in our country. Muscle and nerve biopsies are carried out by the specialized academic personnel; the results are then processed at the laboratory and examined again by the same staff.

Things you should know about muscle biopsy

You need to arrange an appointment with the relevant academic personnel for muscle biopsy. You need to bring the document including detailed information on your illness as well as your EMG report when you come to arrange an appointment. You will also need to bring a box of sticking plaster when you come for the biopsy on the date and hour allocated for you. You DON'T need to be hungry for the biopsy.

• • Muscle biopsies are generally conducted on the left arm; and less frequently, on the left thigh.

• • During the operation, by means of a cut of 4 cm, a part of the muscle is taken out from the arm or the thigh. Since the cut is very small, it does not cause incapability.

• • Muscle biopsy is carried out after the point of cut is locally anesthetized. If you have had any allergic reaction to local anaesthesia before, please inform your doctor.

• • Since bleeding might occur during the operation, you need to inform your doctor if you take any medication (such as aspirin or coumadin) that prevents blood clogging.

The point of cut is stitched up after the part of muscle is taken out. The stitches under the skin will be absorbed by itself. One single stitch is placed upon the skin, which is removed a week later. The biopsy lasts 30 minutes. You need to rest your arm or thigh where the biopsy is conducted on the day of the operation. You may go back to your normal activities on the following day. You need to keep the point of cut dry until the stitch is removed. There is no need for medical dressing. The stitch will be removed by our unit a week later. The result of the biopsy is given on the same day.

Things you should know about nerve biopsy

You need to arrange an appointment with the relevant academic personnel for nerve biopsy. You need to bring the document including detailed information on your illness as well as your EMG report when you come to arrange an appointment. You will also need to bring a box of sticking plaster when you come for the biopsy on the date and hour allocated for you. You DON'T need to be hungry for the biopsy.

• • Nerve biopsies are conducted on the left thigh, which must be shaved up to the knee on the day of the operation.

• • A part of the nerve is taken out through a cut of 4 cm on the thigh. The nerve taken out is a completely sensual nerve, which means it carries sense from the skin and does not reach the muscles. Therefore, it is easy to take it out.

• • Nervebiopsy is carried out after the point of cut is locally anesthetized. If you have had any allergic reaction to local anaesthesia before, please inform your doctor.

• • Since bleeding might occur during the operation, you need to inform your doctor if you take any medication (such as aspirin or coumadin) that prevents blood clogging.

• • The point of cut is stitched up after the part of nerve is taken out. The stitches under the skin will be absorbed by itself. One single stitch is placed upon the skin, which is removed 10 days later. The biopsy lasts 30-40 minutes. You need to rest your thigh where the biopsy is conducted on the day of the operation. You may go back to your normal activities on the following day. You need to keep the point of cut dry until the stitch is removed. There is no need for medical dressing. The stitch will be removed by our unit a week later. The result of the biopsy is given on the same day.

Following the biopsy, hypokinesia at the back of your foot including the ankle as well as a sense of pricking or pain at the field of biopsy lasting for about a week, and in some rare cases for about a year, might be experienced.