Testicular biopsy is surgery to remove a piece of tissue from the testicles. The tissue is examined under a microscope.
How to Prepare for the Test
Your provider may tell you not to take aspirin or medicines that contain aspirin for 1 week before the procedure. Always ask your provider before stopping any medicines.
How the Test will Feel
There will be a sting when the anesthetic is given. You should only feel pressure or discomfort similar to a pinprick during the biopsy.
How the Test is Performed
The biopsy can be done in many ways.
Open biopsy may be done in the provider's office, a surgical center, or at a hospital. The skin over the testicle is cleaned with a germ-killing (antiseptic) medicine. The area around it is covered with a sterile towel. A local anesthetic is given to numb the area.
A small surgical cut is made through the skin. A small piece of the testicle tissue is removed. The opening in the testicle is closed with a stitch. Another stitch closes the cut in the skin. The procedure is repeated for the other testicle if necessary.
Needle biopsy is most often done in the provider's office. The area is cleaned and local anesthesia is used, just as in the open biopsy. A sample of the testicle is taken using a special needle. The procedure does not require a cut in the skin.
