Skin biopsy

If the skin lesion cannot be diagnosed on the basis of its clinical symptoms, then it is worth taking a biopsy of the pathologically changed tissue in order to make a correct diagnosis and implement effective treatment. In Zakrzewscy Clinic you can perform a skin biopsy regardless of the type of lesion in order to be sure that the therapy proposed by us will bring good results. Patients appreciate the personalized health care they receive at our Clinic, and our physicians care about the highest standard of services, ensuring the safety and comfort of Patients.

What is a biopsy?

Biopsy is one of the most common surgical procedures. It involves the removal of a piece or all of the affected tissue. It can be a method of treatment (excisional biopsy), a control procedure e.g. during monitoring the treatment of bullous diseases or a diagnostic method for the detection of skin cancer. It is often the only technique that allows the detection of a malignant lesion and differentiation between similar disease. The collected material is subjected to a detailed histopathological examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis. An experienced dermatologist decides whether a biopsy is necessary. Despite the fact that it is a surgical procedure, there is no need to be afraid of pain or complications, because it is a standard and safe procedure.

Skin biopsy methods

Depending on the specifics of your case (location, nature of the lesion, and initial diagnosis), we choose the appropriate biopsy method:

"biopsy punch" – a circular piece of tissue is taken and all of the extracted skin layers are fully analyzed in the laboratory. This method may require sutures to be placed.
shave biopsy – if the lesion involves only the upper layers of the skin, the physician cuts off a small portion of it. This method does not require stitches.
thin-slice biopsy – the physician cuts a piece of the lesion with a scalpel to make a full thickness biopsy. This method requires sutures to be placed.
excisional biopsy – this method involves complete removal of the lesion, after which treatment must be continued. A piece of skin around the lesion is also removed. This method differs from simple excision of the lesion, which is also the end of treatment.

Indications for biopsy

A biopsy may be intended to diagnose a particular lesion or to control the treatment of various conditions. When it comes to indications for skin cancer detection, your physician may recommend a biopsy for a variety of skin lesions. An example would be a cutaneous horn, which is by definition a benign lesion, but may develop into squamous cell carcinoma. In this and other cases where palpation, dermatoscopy, and videodermascopy have failed to determine the nature of skin lesion, the dermatologist may suggest a biopsy, which in many cases allows a definitive diagnosis to be made.

Biopsy procedure

In Zakrzewscy Clinic we perform several types of biopsies, but they all proceed in the same way. The procedure is short and usually takes from a few to several minutes. At the beginning, the Patient receives local anesthesia so that the procedure is not painful. Then, an experienced surgeon removes a piece of tissue according to the previously selected optimal method. Finally, if necessary, stitches and a dressing are placed on the wound.

Indications after surgery

After surgery, the Patient should not pull the dressing off for about 2 days unless otherwise directed by the surgeon. After 7-14 days it is necessary to remove the stitches, depending on the surgeon’s recommendations. This is followed by a follow-up visit to discuss the biopsy results. Depending on the examination results, your physician will determine a plan for further treatment.

Contraindications

Biopsy is a common and standard procedure, but certain factors may prevent it from being performed. These include:

allergy to components of the anesthetic agent
hemorrhagic diathesis
taking anticoagulants

However, you should not give up the diagnosis, even if the above-mentioned contraindications concern you. Thanks to the knowledge and experience of our physicians it is possible to modify the procedure so that it does not pose any risk to the Patient.

Biopsy information sheet

This information may be useful to you before you begin skin cancer treatment. Read the Information Sheet

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