UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said heart biopsies can be performed via catheterization through a vein in the wrist instead of the groin or neck.
Researchers at Penn State University said the procedure may cause less discomfort for patients.
"Although not everyone is a candidate for catheterization through the wrist, called transradial catheterization, this study shows that this technique is promising as an option for patients who need heart biopsies," said Dr. Ian C. Gilchrist, professor of medicine. "Up to now, even physicians trained in the transradial catheterization approach had avoided offering the arm catheterization option for patients who needed a heart biopsy because we weren't sure about the technique's effectiveness for biopsies."
Heart biopsies, in which a small sample of heart muscle is removed for testing, are prescribed yearly for heart transplant patients so physicians can check for signs of rejection of the transplanted heart. Heart biopsies also are used to diagnose the cause of a patient's heart failure, or to check the hearts of some patients who are being treated with chemotherapy.
