Prostate Biopsy Procedure

Prostate Biopsy Procedures

What is a Prostate Biopsy Procedure?

A prostate biopsy procedure is the taking of a minuscule tissue sample from the prostate gland to determine if cancer cells are present. Prostate cancer, without visible manifestations, can be very tricky to detect early on and Prostate Specific Antigen tests (PSA) as well as Digital Rectal Examinations (DRE) may or may not show the cancer's presence. If your doctor has detected a density increase during a PSA test, or an irregularity during a DRE, the next step to accurately determine a prostate cancer's presence is through a prostate biopsy procedure.

Prostate biopsy procedures consist of three types: a trans-rectal, transurethral, and a trans-perineal procedure. Though all of them are geared toward the detection of a prostate cancer, they differ in the way they are done.

Trans-rectal Prostate Biopsy

The trans-rectal prostate biopsy procedure employs the use of trans-rectal ultrasound monitor so that the doctor can guide the biopsy gun toward an appropriate place. This biopsy gun is a spring loaded needle capable of extracting several tissue samples a fraction of the second. Though there will be bleeding afterwards, visible in the urine and the ejaculate and on the rectum, the pain will be absent to minimal due to anesthetics applied beforehand.

Transurethral Prostate Biopsy

A transurethral prostate biopsy procedure includes insertion of a cystoscope into the urethra, using local anesthesia to numb the surround area of the urethra. This prostate biopsy procedure thus allows the doctor a direct look at the prostate gland by using the cytoscope and allows a direct extraction of a prostate tissue by using a cutting loop device attached.

Trans-perineal Prostate Biopsy

Because the trans-perineal prostate biopsy procedure makes incision on the perinea, some patients would prefer to remain unconscious during the procedure. This prostate biopsy procedure is employed sparingly because of the amount of damage it risks. It is only employed when other prostate biopsy procedures failed in detecting the location or presence of the prostate cancer.

Though there have been claims that prostate biopsy creates damaging risks to an otherwise healthy prostate gland, there is no way to recognize the presence of prostate cancer than having a prostate biopsy procedure. And rarely would risks occur because of a prostate biopsy procedure.

Any patient having a prostate biopsy procedure would experience blood on the urine, semen and sometimes on the anus (with the trans-rectal biopsy). Patients having a e will experience tenderness in the incision area as well as slight weakness. But all symptoms will dissipate within days, except with the trans-perineal prostate biopsy procedure which can take at least a month to heal completely.