title: Maternal contamination at fetal muscle biopsy.
abstract: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can be diagnosed by fetal muscle biopsy and immunohistochemical staining showing the absence of dystrophin. We report a case of fetal muscle biopsy in which the needle gun was successfully fired within the fetal gluteal muscle but the sample was contaminated by maternal tissue. This was attributed to the design of the biopsy needle, allowing transient opening of the biopsy core as the needle penetrated the maternal rectus sheath, muscle, and myometrium. Histology showed tissue suggestive of maternal origin, confirmed by DNA analysis. Repeat sampling revealed fetal muscle with normal dystrophin expression. We recommend that care be taken during needle insertion to avoid maternal contamination, and tests be used to confirm the fetal source of the sample.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Fetal Care, Department of Materno-Fetal Medicine, Division of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Hammersmith Campus, London, UK.
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Overton
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sewry
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Fisk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D016189:Dystrophin; D004247:DNA