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Confused: Endoscopy with 10 biopsies taken?

Haveaniceday
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Haveaniceday Apprentice
Haveaniceday
Posted

Just before beginning my endoscopy the specialist told me he would be taking 4 biopsies (first and second portions of the duodenum), during the procedure he ended up taking 10, including at the bulb. However visually everything is within normal parameters.

I am just really curious as to why the Dr would have suddenly opted to take so many biopsies with everything looking normal. I can understand 6 or even 8, but 10 is over double what was intended and obviously the fewer that can be taken the lesser the risk of complications after.

I am not worried about confirmation of diagnosis neither is my doctor, my blood work markers were in the high positive range across the tests in the panel, and I have direct relatives with celiac. (26/f)

 

Thanks!

*I am not too anxious about any possible result, purely just really curious about what would motivate that

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GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Hi,

My guess is the GI didn't see clear evidence of celiac damage visually through the endoscope.  So he / she may have taken more biopsy samples from various spots hoping to get an area that will show damage under a microscope.  Sometimes damage is severe enough to see through the endoscope with the naked eye.  Sometimes a microscope is needed to see it.  If the damage was clear they could get a biopsy from a damaged spot easily.  When it's not real clear its a guessing game to decide where to take a biopsy sample.

The endoscope can only reach about 5 feet into the small intestine.  So it can't see or sample the remaining 17 feet.  There may be more damage further in or not.  I think most of the time samples are examined in a lab and and the results sent to the doctor.  That process seems to run about 7 to 10 days.  You should keep eating gluten until they give you the test results and tell you to go gluten-free or not.  There have been cases where labs lose samples or contaminate them by accident and the the tests have to be redone.  So it's better to wait to go gluten-free until you know the lab results are back.  Going off gluten and then going back on for more testing can be real unpleasant.

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