Suction-modified needle biopsy technique for the human soleus muscle

Area of Science:

• Muscle physiology and biomechanics
• Surgical techniques and medical device development

Background:

• The soleus muscle presents unique challenges for needle biopsy due to its fiber type distribution, contractile properties, and anatomical location near neurovascular structures.
• Existing biopsy methods are not standardized for the soleus, necessitating a reliable and repeatable protocol.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a standardized, safe, and repeatable needle biopsy protocol for the human soleus muscle.
• To validate the accuracy and efficacy of the developed biopsy technique.

Main Methods:

• Ultrasonography guided the identification of the optimal biopsy zone in an initial cohort of 12 subjects.
• A total of 45 subjects underwent two biopsy sessions, each involving three needle passes (proximal, posterior, distal) with vacuum suction.
• Muscle samples were collected for histochemistry and molecular analyses.

Main Results:

• Eighty-four soleus muscle biopsy procedures were successfully completed without complications, yielding 252 samples.
• Ultrasonography confirmed accurate needle placement within the soleus muscle.
• Average sample weight was 61.5 +/- 15.7 mg per pass, and analyses confirmed a higher proportion of slow type I myosin heavy chain (MHC) compared to vastus lateralis.

Conclusions:

• The presented protocol enables accurate and consistent muscle biopsy sampling from the human soleus.
• The human soleus needle biopsy is demonstrated to be a safe, reliable, and repeatable procedure.
• The technique provides ample tissue for diverse analytical purposes, including histochemistry and molecular studies.