• MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute
  • Doctors
  • Appointments
  • Conditions & Treatments
  • Locations
  • Search
  • Menu
Don’t delay your care! Call 888-354-3422 to schedule a video visit with a specialist today!

Find a doctor or specialist that meet your needs

Need Help? Email [email protected]

Close Menu
    • Find a Doctor
    • Find a Location
    • Request an Appointment
 

Newsroom

For Patients

  • Conditions & Treatments
  • Programs and Services
  • Patient Resources
  • Why Choose Us
  • Ways to Give

For Medical Professionals

  • Careers
  • Educational Opportunities
  • Publications and Case Studies
  • Research
arrow_back Conditions & Treatments

Heart Biopsy

Call for an appointment or referral
888-354-3422

email Email a Question
menu Heart Biopsy
  • Overview
    • Treatments
    • Physicians
  • Overview arrow_forward
  • Treatments arrow_forward
  • Physicians arrow_forward

Removing a small sample of your heart tissue to analyze

Expert Heart & Vascular Care

Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our heart or vascular specialists.

Request an Appointment

Your doctor may recommend a heart biopsy to monitor your heart after a heart transplant or to diagnose a heart condition such as myocarditis or cardiomyopathy.

This minimally invasive procedure uses a thin, flexible tube called a catheter with a device at the tip that removes a small piece of the heart muscles.

What to expect during a heart biopsy?

Your doctor will let you know what you can eat and drink before the biopsy. If you’re taking medication, ask if you should take it on the day of the procedure.

You will wear a hospital gown and lie on a table. While you’ll be given a mild sedative, you will remain conscious during the procedure.

Your doctor will make a small incision in your neck, arm or groin in which to insert the catheter. A local anesthetic will numb the area of the incision. The doctor will use a special type of moving X-ray to guide the catheter through your blood vessels to your heart. A device at the end of the catheter will remove samples the size of a pinhead from your heart tissue. These samples are then sent to the lab to be examined. Your doctor will contact you to go over the results.

The procedure will take 30 to 60 minutes, and you’ll need to stay for a period of time to monitor your condition. You’ll likely be allowed to return home the same day, but you’ll need someone to drive you.

Treatments

Heart Failure Surgery

Surgical treatments for heart failure can include coronary bypass surgery, mechanical support devices and heart transplants.

Heart Transplants

A heart transplant replaces a diseased, failing heart with a healthier heart from a donor.

Heart Failure Treatment

Treatments for heart failure such as medications, surgery and mechanical devices vary based on the cause and severity of your condition.

Left Ventricular Reconstructive Surgery (Modified DOR Procedure)

During left ventricular reconstructive surgery, the left ventricle is reshaped to remove scar tissue caused by heart failure.

Physicians

View all arrow_forward
29 Doctors & Specialists
Dr. Robert Anthony Gallino, MD
Dr. Robert Anthony Gallino, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(478)
18101 Prince Philip Drive Suite 4100 Olney, MD 20832
(301) 570-7404
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD
Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(119)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-5975
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Toby Rogers, MD
Dr. Toby Rogers, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-5975
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Farooq H. Sheikh, MD
Dr. Farooq H. Sheikh, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
(257)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Ron Waksman, MD
Dr. Ron Waksman, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-2812
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Lowell F. Satler, MD
Dr. Lowell F. Satler, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-5975
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Weining David Xu, MD
Dr. Weining David Xu, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
5601 Loch Raven Boulevard O'NEIL BUILDING Baltimore, MD 21239
(410) 554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Maria Esperanza Rodrigo, MD
Dr. Maria Esperanza Rodrigo, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
(135)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Shahid Saeed, MD
Dr. Shahid Saeed, MD
Interventional Cardiology
6830 Hospital Drive Suite 200 Baltimore, MD 21237
(410) 686-1448
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Tolulope Adesiyun Agunbiade, MD
Dr. Tolulope Adesiyun Agunbiade, MD
Cardio-Oncology | Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
3001 South Hanover Street Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. David B. Peichert, MD
Dr. David B. Peichert, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(401)
9105 Franklin Square Drive WHITE SQUARE PROF BLDG Rosedale, MD 21237
(410) 574-1330
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Sandeep Mahendra Jani, MD, MPH
Dr. Sandeep Mahendra Jani, MD, MPH
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
(220)
9105 Franklin Square Drive WHITE SQUARE PROF BLDG Rosedale, MD 21237
(410) 554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Samer Samir Najjar, MD
Dr. Samer Samir Najjar, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
(225)
110 Irving Street Northwest First Floor Clinic Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Phillip Hong Lam, MD
Dr. Phillip Hong Lam, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Hayder Hashim, MD
Dr. Hayder Hashim, MD
Interventional Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
202-877-5975
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Jennifer Rebecca Brown, MD
Dr. Jennifer Rebecca Brown, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology | Cardiology
2002 Medical Parkway Suite 500 Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 573-6480
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Itshac Itsik Ben-Dor, MD
Dr. Itshac Itsik Ben-Dor, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-5975
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Ajay Kadakkal, MD
Dr. Ajay Kadakkal, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. William O'Neil Suddath, MD
Dr. William O'Neil Suddath, MD
Interventional Cardiology
7501 Surratts Road Floor 3 Clinton, MD 20735
301-877-5677
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Venkatesh K. Raman, MD
Dr. Venkatesh K. Raman, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(276)
3800 Reservoir Road Northwest 5th Floor Washington, DC 20007
(202) 444-5111
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Malik A. Al-Omari, MD
Dr. Malik A. Al-Omari, MD
Interventional Cardiology
7501 Surratts Road Suite 304 Clinton, MD 20735
301-877-5677
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Mark R. Hofmeyer, MD
Dr. Mark R. Hofmeyer, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
(203)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4698
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. George Ruiz, MD
Dr. George Ruiz, MD
Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology | Adult Congenital Cardiac Disease
(101)
3333 North Calvert Street Johnston Professional Building Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Antony George Kaliyadan, MD
Dr. Antony George Kaliyadan, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
201 East University Parkway LL08 Baltimore, MD 21218
410-554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Srinivas Addala, MD
Dr. Srinivas Addala, MD
Interventional Cardiology
9135 Piscataway Road Suite 210 Clinton, MD 20735
(301) 868-1380
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Nauman Siddiqi, MD
Dr. Nauman Siddiqi, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
201 East University Parkway Baltimore, MD 21218
410-554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. John Chung-Yee Wang, MD
Dr. John Chung-Yee Wang, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Interventional Cardiology
3333 North Calvert Street Johnston Professional Building Baltimore, MD 21218
410-554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Eric Solomon Ginsberg, MD
Dr. Eric Solomon Ginsberg, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(323)
2002 Medical Parkway Suite 500 Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 573-6480
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Scott M. Katzen, MD
Dr. Scott M. Katzen, MD
Interventional Cardiology
(384)
2002 Medical Parkway Suite 500 Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 573-6480
View Profile
Request Appointment
loading
Download our Cardiovascular Performance & Outcomes Booklet!
Download
  • Find a Doctor 
  • Find a Location location_on
  • Request an Appointment today
  • myMedStar lock
  • Don't Show Again Close close
     
     Don't show this to me again
     
    Top vertical_align_top   Quick Tools
     

    MEDSTARHEALTH.ORG

    Request an Appointment
    Call for an appointment or referral
    888-354-3422
    Patients & Visitors
    • Patients & Visitors
      • Doctors
      • Locations
      • Programs and Services
      • Conditions & Treatments
      • myMedStar
      • Patient Resources
      • Patient Stories
      • About Us
      • Why Choose Us
    Medical Professionals
    • Medical Professionals
      • Careers
      • Educational Opportunities
      • Resources
    Research & Resources
    • Research & Resources
      • Cleveland Clinic Alliance
      • Clinical Trials Research
      • Innovations
      • Resources
      • Research and Innovations
    Ways to Give Back
    • Give Back
    Stay Connected

    Stay Connected

    Ride With Uber | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Feedback © 2019 MEDSTAR HEALTH