Nerve biopsy

Alternative names:

biopsy - nerve

What the risks are:

• permanent nerve damage (uncommon; minimized by careful site selection)
• discomfort after the procedure
• infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
• allergic reaction to the local anesthetic

Special considerations:

Nerve biopsy is invasive and is useful only in certain circumstances. These include diagnosis of asymmetric and multifocal nerve disorders, conditions in which a nerve is palpably enlarged (the enlargement can be felt with the fingers), confirmation of disorders involving the nerves when the needed information is not otherwise available, and suspected inherited pediatric nerve disorders.