TEMPORAL ARTERY BIOPSY

Course overview

TEMPORAL ARTERITIS, ALSO KNOWN AS GIANT CELL ARTERITIS, IS AN INFLAMMATORY VASCULOPATHY THAT AFFECTS MEDIUM AND LARGE-SIZED ARTERIES, WHICH ARE USUALLY BRANCHES OF THE CAROTID ARTERY. THE DIAGNOSIS OF THIS CONDITION DEPENDS UPON THE BIOPSY OF THE TEMPORAL ARTERY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND TECHNIQUE INVOLVED IN PERFORMING A TEMPORAL ARTERY BIOPSY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING THIS PROCEDURE.