Human Skeletal Muscle Biopsy Procedures Using the Modified Bergström Technique
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Methodological protocol and procedural description without comparative trial or formal cohort evaluation.
OpenAlex W1997176634 · doi:10.3791/51812
What was done
The authors describe a standardized percutaneous biopsy protocol using a modified Bergström needle with applied suction to sample vastus lateralis muscle tissue in humans under local anesthesia. The method details anatomical entry through skin and fascia, suction-assisted capture of muscle tissue, multiple cutting passes with 90° needle rotations, and post-procedure recovery instructions.
What was found
The abstract reports that the multiple cutting technique typically yields 100-200 mg or more of skeletal muscle tissue in healthy subjects. Following the procedure, subjects typically resume activities of daily living immediately and can participate in vigorous physical activity within 48-72 hr, with heavy resistance exercise avoided for 48 hr to reduce muscle herniation risk. No comparative statistics or empirical cohort numbers were reported.
Why it matters
This paper provides a standardized, step-by-step methodology for obtaining human muscle samples suitable for exercise physiology research. It outlines parameters to ensure adequate tissue yield while minimizing recovery time.
Limits
This is a descriptive methodological protocol rather than an empirical clinical trial. The abstract reports no sample size, no comparative data against alternative biopsy methods, and no quantified complication rates for bleeding, infection, or fascial herniation.
Cited by
- supports In the 1960s, Jonas Bergström developed the percutaneous muscle biopsy technique and showed that glucose is stored in muscle as glycogen.