At Least 8-11 Biopsies Required For Accurate Results

[love2travel]

As I've already mentioned on a few other threads, last night I heard an excellent presentation on celiac disease and the importance of proper biopsies. Insist that your surgeon takes at least 8-11 biopsies for greater chance of accuracy rather than the usual 3. In Canada (and presumably similarly in the US) only 39% of biopsies are done CORRECTLY!!! No wonder there are so many negative results when these poor folks really do have celiac disease.

[Takala]

Good grief.

[maximoo]

Hi where did you hear it? on a radio station? on the net? Please provide details. I m sure everyone here would love to hear it including me.

[cdog7]

Wow. That would explain a lot. :-/

[love2travel]

I was at a lecture in person so got it straight from the "horse's mouth". The gastroenterologist does not have celiac disease but celiac disease is her life. She is a huge advocate and has been instrumental in future labeling laws, etc. She has based this information on personal experience (having seen TONS of those who have been misdiagnosed and many surgeons who did not even know what they were looking for so they didn't search hard enough), experience from her co-surgeons as well as other health practitioners all over Canada. Thankfully she is also a prof in med school so she is instructing on how to properly do biopsies. Unfortunately she was unable to address the doctors and other health care practitioners on their own but plans to in the future. There were two doctors that I know of in the audience.

Talked to someone following the presentation and she likened doing biopsies to soil testing - you need many samples from everywhere.

[heather Goble]

My doctor only took 2 and told me that 3 days back on gluten after being gluten free for over a month was plenty of time! Really frustrated and feel like it was all such a huge waste of time and money.