LYMPH NODE BIOPSY

LYMPH NODE BIOPSY Treatment & Diagnostics in Chunni Ganj, Kanpur

LYMPH NODE BIOPSY

Lymph nodes are the immune system's fighters. The lymph nodes can swell while fighting external infections and bacteria. If this lump does not dissolve and keeps becoming larger, doctors recommend a lymph node biopsy.

What do you mean by lymph node biopsy?

Biopsy means an examination of living tissue. So, a lymph node biopsy involves taking out a lymph node tissue for examining. Doctors do this examination under a microscope.

Why do doctors perform Lymph Node biopsies?

1. The test helps to detect cancer, infections like tuberculosis, or sarcoidosis.
2. If your doctor feels that the swollen glands are not dissolving in your body
3. When CT, MRI, Ultrasound, or mammogram detects abnormal lymph nodes in the body.
4. For people diagnosed with cancer - lymph node biopsy evaluates the extent of the spread of cancer.

When to see a doctor for a lymph node biopsy?

You should visit your doctor if you feel the presence of swollen lymph nodes. Most of the time, these swollen lymph nodes get alright by themselves. Visit your doctor if:

1. You feel the presence of lymph nodes and don't know why they have suddenly appeared.
2. If your lymph nodes keep becoming bigger and don't get better in a month.
3. If you feel that the lymph nodes are hard and rubbery and don't show movement on being pressed.
4. If any of these symptoms occur with fever, weight loss, or night sweats, you should consult a doctor.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Kanpur

Call 1860-500-2244 to book an appointment

How to prepare for Lymph Node Biopsy?

1. Before going for a lymph node biopsy, have a detailed discussion with your doctor regarding the medicines you take.
2. Let your doctor before the lymph node biopsy know if you have allergies or bleeding disorders.
3. Let your doctor know if you're about to conceive.
4. Your doctor will advise you to stop taking any blood-thinning medication like ibuprofen and aspirin for a minimum of two weeks before the lymph node biopsy.
5. Your doctor will ask you to fast for some hours before your lymph node biopsy.

How do doctors perform the Lymph Node Biopsy?

1. In an open lymph node biopsy, the surgeon takes out all or some parts of the lymph nodes. Doctors perform this when a test or examination shows swollen lymph nodes.
   • Your doctor will inject local or general anesthesia after you lie on the examination table.
   • The doctor will clean the site of the incision.
   • The doctor makes a small incision and takes out the whole lymph node or a part of the lymph node.
   • The doctor then seals the biopsy area with a bandage or stitches.
2. In the case of some cancers, doctors perform the sentinel lymph node biopsy.
   • The doctor will inject a few tracers like radioactive tracer or blue dye at the tumor site.
   • This tracer or dye will flow to the local nodes called sentinel nodes. Cancer spreads first to these sentinel nodes.
   • The doctor then takes out these sentinel nodes.
3. Doctors utilize a laparoscope in case of lymph node biopsy in the belly. The surgeon makes cuts in the abdomen for the laparoscope to enter.
4. The radiologist inserts a needle in the lymph node after doing a CT scan to locate the node in case of needle biopsy.

What are the complications involved with Lymph Node Biopsy?

1. Bleeding after the biopsy
2. In rare cases, the wound can get infected, and you will need antibiotics to recover.
3. There can be a nerve injury if the doctor performs the lymph node biopsy near the nerves. The numbness associated goes away in some months. In rare cases, this numbness can stay and become a complication.
4. You can have lymphedema where there is swelling in the area of the biopsy.

CONCLUSION:

The lymph node biopsy is a minor surgical method to understand the cause of the swollen lymph nodes. The biopsy helps doctors to detect signs of chronic infection, cancer, or immunity disorder.