Objectives: To assess whether a preliminary skin incision enhances diagnostic yield of percutaneous testis biopsy and to further evaluate the clinical efficacy of this procedure.
Methods: A total of 45 men (67 testes) underwent testicular biopsy with two passes of a Biopty gun spring-loaded needle. Twenty-seven biopsies were performed without a preliminary skin incision (group 1), and 40 were performed after a small scrotal incision (group 2). In 56 testes, needle biopsy histopathologic diagnosis was compared with that of open biopsy or orchiectomy specimens from the same patient. Needle and surgical specimens were fixed in Bouin's solution and sent separately for independent, blinded, histologic interpretation.
Results: Complications of the procedure were negligible. In all 67 needle biopsies, specimen quality was adequate for histopathologic interpretation. The mean number of seminiferous tubules obtained from needle biopsy was 28% higher among patients having a preliminary skin incision (25.9) compared with those without (18.7, P = 0.023). Correlation between needle and open histopathologic diagnosis was excellent (55 of 56, 98%).
Conclusions: A preliminary skin incision made before needle biopsy increases the diagnostic yield of percutaneous testis biopsy. Percutaneous testis biopsy using the Biopty gun needle provides equal diagnostic information when compared with open testis biopsy or orchiectomy specimens. The concomitant reduction in morbidity and cost make this an attractive diagnostic procedure.