Tell your health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.

• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.

• Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.

• Any bleeding problems you have.

• Any surgeries you have had.

• Any medical conditions you have.

• Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.

What are the risks?

What happens before the procedure?

• Ask your health care provider about:

  • Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.

  • Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood. Do not take these medicines unless your health care provider tells you to take them.

  • Taking over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about any eating and drinking restrictions.

• If you will be going home right after the procedure, plan to have a responsible adult:

  • Take you home from the hospital or clinic. You will not be allowed to drive.

  • Care for you for the time you are told.

What happens during the procedure?

• An IV will be inserted into one of your veins.

• You will be attached to a monitor to check your heart, oxygen level, and blood pressure.

• You will be given one or more of the following:

  • A medicine to help you relax (sedative).

  • A medicine to numb the area (local anesthetic). This will be injected over a blood vessel in your neck that returns blood to your heart. In some cases, a vein in the groin or arm may be used.

• You will be awake and conscious during the entire procedure.

• Your health care provider will make a small puncture-like incision in your neck, leg, or arm for a hollow, flexible tube (sheath) to be inserted into the blood vessel.

• Live imaging of the vein and heart with sound waves (ultrasound) or a type of X-ray (fluoroscopy) will be done to guide the sheath.

• Once the sheath is in the correct position, a catheter (bioptome) will be placed into the sheath and moved into your heart. A tiny pincer at the end of the catheter will be used to collect the samples of the heart muscle.

• Several biopsy samples may be taken before the sheath and catheter are removed.

• Pressure will be placed over the incision to stop any bleeding.

• Your incision may be covered with a bandage (dressing).

The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.

What happens after the procedure?

• Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored until you leave the hospital or clinic.

• Pressure will be kept over the small incision to prevent bleeding.

• If you were given a sedative during the procedure, it can affect you for several hours. Do not drive or operate machinery until your health care provider says that it is safe.

• It is up to you to get the results of your procedure. Ask your health care provider, or the department that is doing the procedure, when your results will be ready.

Summary

• Cardiac biopsy is a procedure to remove a small piece of heart muscle for closer examination. It is also called an endomyocardial biopsy.

• You will be awake during the procedure, but you may be given a medicine to help you relax and to numb the incision area.

• A device with a catheter and a pincer on the end will be inserted through an incision in a vein and moved into your heart.

• Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored until you leave the hospital or clinic.

• Ask your health care provider, or the department that is doing the procedure, when your results will be ready.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.