Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Aug;52(8):1585-1590.
doi: 10.1007/s00256-023-04306-7. Epub 2023 Feb 17.

Ultrasound-guided nerve block prior to biopsy of suspected neurogenic tumors: safety and feasibility in a pilot study

Jennifer Pitts  1 , John S Symanski  1 , Lindsay M Stratchko  1 , Donna G Blankenbaker  1 , Kenneth S Lee  1 , Humberto G Rosas  1 , Andrew B Ross  2
Affiliations

Ultrasound-guided nerve block prior to biopsy of suspected neurogenic tumors: safety and feasibility in a pilot study

Jennifer Pitts et al. Skeletal Radiol. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the safety and feasibility of ultrasound-guided nerve block prior to biopsy of potentially neurogenic tumors.

Materials and methods: A retrospective review of the medical record from June 2017 to June 2022 identified ultrasound-guided biopsies of potentially neurogenic tumors that were performed with a pre-procedural nerve block. Patient demographics, biopsy site, number of passes, needle gauge, use of sedation, pathology results, and procedural complications were recorded and summarized.

Results: The structured search found 16 patients that underwent biopsies of 18 potentially neurogenic tumors with the use of a pre-procedural nerve block at a variety of upper and lower extremity locations. Average patient age was 52 (range 18-78) and 9 patients (56%) were female. Of the 16 patients, 10 were performed without intravenous sedation. Three patients were unable to tolerate biopsy until a nerve block was used. All biopsies yielded a diagnostic sample with 13 of the tumors neurogenic in origin. One patient reported mild postprocedural pain which resolved with conservative treatment; no other complications were reported.

Conclusion: Nerve block prior to ultrasound-guided biopsy of potentially neurogenic tumors is a safe and feasible technique. Further study is needed to determine the extent to which nerve block can decrease intra-procedural pain and reduce or eliminate the need for sedation during biopsy.

Keywords: Biopsy; Nerve block; Neurogenic tumor; Ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mallinson PI, Chou H, Forster BB, Munk PL. Radiology of soft tissue tumors. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2014;23(4):911–36. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ahlawat S, Chhabra A, Blakely J. Magnetic resonance neurography of peripheral nerve tumors and tumorlike conditions. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2014;24(1):171–92. - DOI - PubMed
    1. James AW, Shurell E, Singh A, Dry SM, Eilber FC. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2016;25(4):789–802. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Enzinger FM, Weiss SW. Soft tissue tumors. 3rd ed. ed. St. Louis: Mosby; 1995. ix, 1120 pages p.
    1. Crombe A, Alberti N, Stoeckle E, Brouste V, Buy X, Coindre JM, et al. Soft tissue masses with myxoid stroma: can conventional magnetic resonance imaging differentiate benign from malignant tumors? Eur J Radiol. 2016;85(10):1875–82. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources