EVALUATION OF A MODIFIED NEEDLE FOR SMALL JOINT BIOPSIES

Objective. To assess the value of a new short biopsy needle modified f rom the Parker-Pearson needle in obtaining adequate synovial tissue fr om small joints.Methods. The short needle is 2.5 cm in length with a r epositioned hooked biopsy notch closer to the end of the needle to all ow better specimen retrieval. It can be used to obtain synovial biopsi es from small joints of the hand using the usual arthrocentesis approa ches. Results. Ten patients underwent 12 synovial biopsies with a succ ess rate of 92%. No complications from the procedure were observed. Sa mples obtained were adequate for a variety of studies including synovi al histopathological evaluation, electron microscopy, and DNA extracti on. Conclusion. The new modified short needle expands the spectrum of joints that con be biopsied for diagnostic and research purposes in an outpatient setting.