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      • Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
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      • Extra Bones
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      • Flatfoot
        • Flatfoot-Adult Acquired
        • Flatfoot-Flexible
        • Flatfoot-Pediatric
      • Foot Arthritis
      • Foot Drop
      • Fracture
        • Foot Fracture
        • Fracture-Ankle
        • Fracture-Foot
        • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
        • Fractures of the Fifth Metatarsal
        • Fracture-Toe
        • Jones Fracture
        • Stress Fracture in the Foot
        • Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken Toes)
      • Gangrene
      • Gout
      • Haglund's Deformity
      • Hallux Rigidus
      • Hammertoes
      • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
      • High-Arched Foot
      • Intermetatarsal Neuroma
      • Intoeing
      • Joint Pain in the Foot
      • Joint Swelling in the Foot
      • Lisfranc Injuries
      • Os Trigonum Syndrome
      • Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
      • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
      • Osteopenia
      • Osteoporosis
      • Peroneal Tendon Injuries
      • Pigeon-toes
      • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
      • R.I.C.E Protocol
      • Restless Legs
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
      • Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
      • Shin Splints
      • Swollen Feet
      • Synovitis
      • Tailor's Bunion
      • Talar Dome Lesion
      • Tingly Feet
      • Tired Feet
      • Toe Walking
      • Turf Toe
      • Varicose Veins
      • Webbed Toes
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      • Athlete's Foot
      • Black Toenails
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      • Corns
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      • Dermatitis
      • Dry Heels
      • Eczema of the Foot
      • Foot Bumps
      • Foot Lumps
      • Foot Odor
      • Foot Rash
      • Frostbite
      • Fungal Nails
      • Ganglion Cyst
      • Heel Fissures
      • Inflammation: Acute
      • Ingrown Toenails
      • Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
      • Plantar Fibroma
      • Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
      • Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
      • Puncture Wounds
      • Rash
      • Raynauds Phenomenon
      • Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
      • Smelly Feet
      • Sweaty Feet
      • Thick Toenails
      • Warts
      • White Toenails
      • Wounds/Ulcers
      • Wounds-Puncture
      • Yellow Toenails
    • Diabetic Health
      • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
      • Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
      • Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
      • Diabetic Shoes
      • MRSA Infection of the Foot
      • Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.)
      • Soft Tissue Biopsy
    • Fitness and Your Feet
      • Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
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      • Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
      • Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Orthotics and Footwear
      • Custom Orthotic Devices
      • Orthotics
      • Shoe Inserts
    • Compartment Syndrome
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
    • Equinus
    • Instructions for Using Crutches
    • Staph Infections of the Foot
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  • Soft Tissue Biopsy

What is a Soft Tissue Biopsy?
A soft tissue biopsy is the removal and microscopic examination of a small sample of soft tissue for diagnostic purposes. “Soft tissue” includes the skin, fat, muscle, and tendons that surround, connect, or support other tissues or organs.

 

Soft tissue biopsies require little time or involvement from the patient. They enable the foot and ankle surgeon to reach an accurate diagnosis and determine the best treatment for the specific condition.
 
Conditions Identified by Soft Tissue Biopsies
Non-surgical treatment may help relieve the pain of a plantar fibroma, although it will not make the mass disappear. The foot and ankle surgeon may select one or more of the following non-surgical options:

  • Freckles (macules)

  • Benign pigmented, or colored, spots (moles or nevus)

  • Fungal or bacterial infections

  • Rashes (such as eczema or dermatitis)

  • Lesions related to a disease affecting the entire body (such as diabetes)

  • Nodular conditions (such as a ganglion cyst, lipoma, or fibroma)

  • Toenail conditions (onychomycosis, psoriasis)

  • Wart-like growths on the skin (benign keratoses)

  • Premalignant conditions (actinic and seborrheic keratoses)

 

 

What Does the Biopsy Involve?

A biopsy involves removal of a small piece of tissue, and takes just a few minutes. The procedure performed will depend on the tissue to be sampled. After numbing the area, the surgeon performs one of the following:

 

Shave biopsy. A thin piece of tissue is shaved off.

 

Biopsy 01

 

 

Punch biopsy. A small, round instrument removes a tiny core of tissue. Stitches may be needed.

 

Biopsy2

 

Incisional or excisional biopsy. A piece, or the entire lesion, is removed. Stitches are often needed.

 

Biopsy3

 

 

Once the sample is obtained, the surgeon sends it to a clinical laboratory so that the condition can be identified. The specimen will be examined by a pathologist who specializes in evaluating soft tissue biopsies.

 

After the Biopsy
Patients should follow the instructions provided by the surgeon for care of the biopsy site. If the area has stitches, an appointment will be scheduled for their removal.

It usually takes several days for the lab results to arrive at the surgeon’s office. If the patient has not heard about the results after 10 days, the surgeon’s office should be contacted. Biopsy results, as well as additional treatment that may be required, will then be discussed.

  • Bone/Joint/Tendon
    • Accessory Navicular Syndrome
    • Achilles Tendon Rupture
    • Ankle
      • Ankle Arthritis
      • Ankle Fractures
      • Ankle Pain
      • Ankle Sprain
      • Swollen Ankles
      • Tarsal Coalition
      • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
      • Weak Ankles
    • Arch Pain
    • Arch Supports
    • Bone Healing
    • Bone Infection
    • Bone Tumors in the Foot
    • Brachymetatarsia
    • Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus)
    • Bursitis
    • Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)
    • Calf Pain
    • Capsulitis of the Second Toe
    • Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot)
    • Charcot Foot
    • Chronic Ankle Instability
    • Clubfoot
    • Cold Feet
    • Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
    • Drop Foot
    • DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
    • Extra Bones
    • Fallen Arches
    • Fifth Metatarsal Fracture
    • Flatfoot
      • Flatfoot-Adult Acquired
      • Flatfoot-Flexible
      • Flatfoot-Pediatric
    • Foot Arthritis
    • Foot Drop
    • Fracture
      • Foot Fracture
      • Fracture-Ankle
      • Fracture-Foot
      • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
      • Fractures of the Fifth Metatarsal
      • Fracture-Toe
      • Jones Fracture
      • Stress Fracture in the Foot
      • Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken Toes)
    • Gangrene
    • Gout
    • Haglund's Deformity
    • Hallux Rigidus
    • Hammertoes
    • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
    • High-Arched Foot
    • Intermetatarsal Neuroma
    • Intoeing
    • Joint Pain in the Foot
    • Joint Swelling in the Foot
    • Lisfranc Injuries
    • Os Trigonum Syndrome
    • Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
    • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
    • Osteopenia
    • Osteoporosis
    • Peroneal Tendon Injuries
    • Pigeon-toes
    • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
    • R.I.C.E Protocol
    • Restless Legs
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
    • Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
    • Shin Splints
    • Swollen Feet
    • Synovitis
    • Tailor's Bunion
    • Talar Dome Lesion
    • Tingly Feet
    • Tired Feet
    • Toe Walking
    • Turf Toe
    • Varicose Veins
    • Webbed Toes
  • Nails and Skin
    • Athlete's Foot
    • Black Toenails
    • Callus
    • Contact Dermatitis
    • Corns
    • Cracked Heels
    • Dermatitis
    • Dry Heels
    • Eczema of the Foot
    • Foot Bumps
    • Foot Lumps
    • Foot Odor
    • Foot Rash
    • Frostbite
    • Fungal Nails
    • Ganglion Cyst
    • Heel Fissures
    • Inflammation: Acute
    • Ingrown Toenails
    • Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
    • Plantar Fibroma
    • Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
    • Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
    • Puncture Wounds
    • Rash
    • Raynauds Phenomenon
    • Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
    • Smelly Feet
    • Sweaty Feet
    • Thick Toenails
    • Warts
    • White Toenails
    • Wounds/Ulcers
    • Wounds-Puncture
    • Yellow Toenails
  • Diabetic Health
    • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
    • Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
    • Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
    • Diabetic Shoes
    • MRSA Infection of the Foot
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.)
    • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Fitness and Your Feet
    • Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Soccer Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Softball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
    • Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Orthotics and Footwear
    • Custom Orthotic Devices
    • Orthotics
    • Shoe Inserts
  • Compartment Syndrome
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Equinus
  • Instructions for Using Crutches
  • Staph Infections of the Foot

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McLean, VA Office

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-4:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Ashburn, VA Office

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Fairfax, VA Office

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-1:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Reston, VA Office

Monday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-4:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Ashburn: 20905 Professional Plaza, Suite 310 Ashburn, VA 20147 Tel:(703) 723-9267
Fairfax: 9918 Main St. Fairfax, VA 22031 Tel:(703) 273-9818
McLean: 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd., Suite 403 McLean, VA 22101 Tel:(703) 556-8637
Reston: 1760 Reston Pkwy., Suite 310 Reston, VA 20190 Tel:(703) 723-2719
Fax: (866) 453-6775

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