Lumbar puncture is a medical procedure in which a thin needle is inserted into the spinal canal to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is called ‘lumbar puncture’ because the needle is inserted in the lumbar portion of the back and used to puncture the tissues to enter the spinal canal. The CSF thus collected is […]
Procedures
Chorionic Villus Sampling: Indications, Limitations, Procedure and Risks
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test carried out during pregnancy to detect any chromosomal or genetic abnormality in an unborn baby. In this procedure, a small sample of chorionic villus is removed from the mother’s body and tested for the presence of any abnormality in the baby. Chorionic villus is the tissue present […]
Phlebotomy- Indications, Procedure and Complications
Phlebotomy is the process in which a needle is temporarily inserted into a vein through a cut (incision) or puncture so as to obtain a sample of blood. This is done for analysis of the blood sample to diagnose various disorders. It can also be done as part of the patient’s treatment in case of […]
MRI in Breast Cancer- Indications and Procedure
Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI of the breast is a painless test procedure that produces clear images of breast tissue. MRI in breast cancer is used as a supplementary tool for breast cancer screening along with mammography or ultrasound. Read more about Breast Cancer: Risk Factors, Classification, Diagnosis and Treatment Read more about Breast Cancer […]
Liver Biopsy-Types, Indications, and Procedure
A liver biopsy is a procedure in which a small piece of liver tissue is removed so that it can be examined under a microscope to detect liver disease. Read more about Liver Anatomy, Structure and Function Liver biopsy is recommended if symptoms, blood tests or imaging studies suggest that the person might have liver […]
Endoscopy: Procedure, Types and Uses
Endoscopy is a medical procedure that involves the insertion of a long, thin tube directly into the body for visualization of internal organ or tissue in detail. Using the same principle, endoscopy can be used for imaging and surgery. These are respectively called endoscopic imaging and endoscopic surgeries. For example, endoscopy is frequently used to […]
Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL)- Procedure, Indications and Diagnostic Tests
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a procedure in which a bronchoscope is passed through the mouth or nose into the lungs to obtain cells and other components from bronchial and alveolar spaces for diagnostic purposes. It is performed to diagnose various lung diseases including infections and malignancies. Bronchoalveolar lavage is a diagnostic procedure similar to flexible […]
Penile Biopsy – Indications and Procedure
Penile biopsy is a procedure where tissue is removed surgically to study for histopathological diagnosis. Penile biopsy is used to diagnose cancers of the penis and other benign lesions as well. The technique used may vary with the size and location of the lesion [ for example punch biopsy or incisional/excisional biopsy.] [Read more on […]
Dorsal Penile Nerve Block – Indications and Procedure
Dorsal penile nerve block is used for providing local anesthesia to penis. Penile local anesthesia is used in various procedures like release of paraphimosis, dorsal slit of the foreskin, circumcision and repair of penile lacerations. Just to mention, the ring penile block is different and usesse a 27-gauge needle to circumferentially infiltrate local anesthetic around the […]
Intravenous Cannulation – Indications and Procedure
Intravenous cannulation is a technique in which a cannula is placed inside a vein to provide venous access for the sampling of blood, as well as administration of fluids and other things. Intravenous is most commonly used venous access device. Indications of Intravenous Cannulation Indications for intravenous cannulation include the following – Repeated blood sampling […]