A nerve biopsy is the removal of a small piece of a nerve for examination.
Alternative Names
Biopsy - nerve
How the test is performed
A nerve biopsy is most often done on a nerve in the ankle or wrist.
The health care provider apply medicine to numb the area before the procedure. The doctor makes a small surgical cut and removes a piece of the nerve. The nerve sample is sent to a lab, where it is examined under a microscope.
How to prepare for the test
There is no special preparation.
How the test will feel
When the numbing medicine (local anesthetic) is injected, you will feel a prick and a mild sting. The biopsy site will be sore for a few days after the test.
Why the test is performed
Nerve biopsy may be done to help diagnose:
Axon degeneration (destruction of the axon portion of the nerve cell)
Damage to the small nerves
Demyelination (destruction of parts of the myelin sheath covering the nerve)
Inflammatory nerve conditions (neuropathies)
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
Review Date:
6/18/2011
Reviewed By:
Kevin Sheth, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
