[1] A bioptome is used to gain access to the heart via a sheath inserted into the right internal jugular or less commonly the femoral vein.

[1] Serious complications include perforation of the heart with pericardial tamponade, haemopericardium, AV block, tricuspid regurgitation and pneumothorax.

[4] A bioptome is used to gain access to the heart via a sheath inserted into the right internal jugular or less commonly the femoral vein.

Guidance and confirmation of correct positioning of the bioptome is made by echocardiography or fluoroscopy[1] before the biopsy specimen is taken and in the case of transplants, usually three[4] or four or more samples are taken.

[1][3] Possible complications, which almost all occur at time of procedure,[4] include rupture of the right intraventricular septum, conduction block, arrhythmias, pneumothorax, tricuspid regurgitation, atrioventricular fistula,[8] and pulmonary embolism.

[1] Early heart biopsies, sampling pericardium, in the latter half of the 1950s were performed through a cut in the left intercostal space at the costochondral junction.

[1] The concept of introducing a biopsy needle through the right internal or external jugular vein to reach the right intraventricular septum for the purpose of sampling the heart muscle was initiated in 1965 by R. T. Bulloch.