You may have your procedure as an outpatient. This means you go home the same day. Or it may be done as part of a longer stay in the hospital. The way the procedure is done may vary. It depends on your condition and your healthcare provider's methods. In most cases, a needle biopsy will follow this process:
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You may be asked to remove your clothes. If so, you will be given a hospital gown to wear. You may be asked to remove jewelry or other objects.
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You may be given oxygen through a nasal tube or face mask. Your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing will be watched during the procedure.
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For a needle biopsy, you will be in a sitting position in a hospital bed. Your arms will be resting on an over-bed table. This position helps to spread out the spaces between the ribs, which is where the needle is inserted. If you are not able to sit, you may lie on your side on the edge of the bed.
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The skin where the needle will be put in will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
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A numbing medicine (local anesthetic) will be injected in the biopsy site.
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When the area is numb, the healthcare provider will put a needle between the ribs in your back. You may feel some pressure where the needle goes in. One or more samples of pleural tissue will be removed.
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You will be asked to hold still, exhale deeply, or hold your breath at certain times during the procedure.
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The biopsy needle will be removed. Firm pressure will be applied to the site until any bleeding has stopped. A bandage or dressing will be put on the area.
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The tissues samples will be sent to a lab.
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You may have a chest X-ray taken right after the biopsy.