An invasive test is a type of

medical procedure A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the delivery of healthcare. A medical procedure with the intention of determining, measuring, or diagnosing a patient condition or parameter is also called a medical test. ...

that requires trained medical providers to use instruments that cut skin (or other connective tissue) or that are inserted into a body opening. Examples of invasive tests include

biopsy A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist. The process involves extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a diseas ...

, excision,

cryotherapy Cryotherapy, sometimes known as cold therapy, is the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy. Cryotherapy may be used to treat a variety of tissue lesions. The most prominent use of the term refers to the surgical treatment, s ...

, and

endoscopy An endoscopy is a procedure used in medicine to look inside the body. The endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike many other medical imaging techniques, endoscopes are insert ...

Invasive versus non-invasive tests

The major difference between invasive and non-invasive tests is that invasive tests are done by cutting or entering a body part using medical instruments, whereas non-invasive tests do not require breaking the skin or entering the body. Non-invasive tests include deep

palpation Palpation is the process of using one's hands to check the body, especially while perceiving/diagnosing a disease or illness. Usually performed by a health care practitioner, it is the process of feeling an object in or on the body to determine ...

x-rays An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 Picometre, picometers to 10 Nanometre, nanometers, corresponding to frequency, ...

, and checking

blood pressure Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...

Examples

Cardiac catheterization Cardiac catheterization (heart cath) is the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. This is done both for diagnostic and interventional purposes. A common example of cardiac catheterization is coronary catheterization that ...

is an invasive procedure that allows physicians to examine the heart of a patient. During this procedure, a physician measures the pressure inside the heart, evaluates arteries delivering blood to the heart, and observes how well the heart is pumping. *

Balloon angioplasty Angioplasty, is also known as balloon angioplasty and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructed arteries or veins, typically to treat arterial atherosclero ...

is an invasive test that helps to treat any blockage present in the coronary arteries. A catheter with a small balloon is inserted into the blocked artery and dilated to open the artery that supplies the heart muscle with blood. * An

atherectomy Atherectomy is a minimally invasive technique for removing atherosclerosis from blood vessels within the body. It is an alternative to angioplasty for the treatment of peripheral artery disease, but the studies that exist are not adequate to determ ...

is an invasive procedure performed for removing atherosclerosis from blood vessels within the body. The narrowed arteries are widened by inserting a catheter carrying a device such as a rotating drill or a cutter into the artery. * Placement of a

coronary stent A coronary stent is a tube-shaped device placed in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, to keep the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart disease. It is used in a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PC ...

(a cylinder of wire mesh that is placed in a previously blocked artery to ensure that it stays open) is an invasive medical procedure. It is usually placed by a

catheter In medicine, a catheter (/ˈkæθətər/) is a thin tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgical procedure. Cath ...

(tube).

Equipment

There are various types of equipment used for performing invasive procedures, with each instrument's shape and size depending on what body part needs surgery. Some instruments are hand-held tools and are made of

carbon steel Carbon steel is a steel with carbon content from about 0.05 up to 2.1 percent by weight. The definition of carbon steel from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) states: * no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt ...

, aluminum, or titanium which are used by skilled physicians to perform surgical tasks. Commonly used medical equipment includes

scalpel A scalpel, lancet, or bistoury is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, podiatry and various arts and crafts (either called a hobby knife or an X-acto knife.). Scalpels may be single-use disposa ...

forceps Forceps (plural forceps or considered a plural noun without a singular, often a pair of forceps; the Latin plural ''forcipes'' is no longer recorded in most dictionaries) are a handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Fo ...

, scissors, clamps, and retractors. Some surgical procedures require a specific set of equipment. For example, in some orthopedic surgery cases, bone saws, files, mallets, and drills are required.

Medical application of invasive tests

Invasive tests have numerous applications in the field of dentistry, prenatal testing, cancer diagnosis, neurology, cosmetic surgery, etc. because they provide opportunities for doctors to diagnose and treat different kinds of diseases.

Safety of patient during an invasive procedure

In order to perform an invasive test or surgery it is important that the procedure, as with any medical procedure, should be performed in a sterile environment, such as a well-equipped operating room or

intensive care unit 220px, Intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensiv ...

. Careful attention must be given to the timing of procedures. Early diagnosis will result in more effective treatment and will save both the patient and the hospital time and money. Careful monitoring of the patient is necessary such as checking their heart rate and blood pressure as well as their mental status before and after the procedure.

Drawbacks

There are many drawbacks of invasive procedures, which include increased patient discomfort, increased wound care, and longer healing periods. Use of invasive diagnostic techniques in the case of pregnant mothers increases the chances of abortion and mental stress.Cheston B. Cunha, Burke A. Cunha, in Infectious Diseases (Fourth Edition), 2017

References

Surgical procedures and techniques Medical procedures