Mucosal biopsy
Mucosal skin biopsy is the removal of a small piece of skin or mucous membrane. The sample can be retrieved in several ways: a shave biopsy (scraping or shaving a thin layer), a punch biopsy (using a needle or punch to obtain a small, but deeper, sample), or an excision of tissue (cutting to remove a piece of tissue). The sample is sent to the laboratory to isolate and identify organisms that cause infection.
Review Date: 2006-02-10
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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