Skin biopsies have been a cornerstone of dermatology for over a century. The early 20th century saw the development of fundamental techniques like shave biopsies, punch biopsies, and excisional biopsies. These methods paved the way for more accurate diagnoses of skin diseases, revolutionizing how dermatologists approach skin infections and inflammatory conditions. Skin biopsies are indispensable for diagnosing a wide array of skin conditions, such as:
Skin biopsies are critical for dermatological diagnostics—providing detailed information that enables healthcare professionals to make informed clinical decisions.
Traditional biopsy methods have been an effective, standard approach for decades, but with some notable drawbacks. Traditional methods frequently require anesthesia and expensive sampling procedures that involve cutting into the skin to remove a specimen. These biopsy methods often entail the following disadvantages:
In contrast, the Harpera™ Microbiopsy™ Punch is a high-precision laser-cut punch device that extracts minimal skin tissue, drastically reducing patient discomfort and eliminating the need for stitches—offering a non-invasive alternative for collecting skin specimens using a spring-loaded punch mechanism to quickly collect micro-sized specimens.
The Microbiopsy procedure offers significant benefits when collecting skin biopsies in populations that are impacted by infectious diseases, particularly those diseases affecting the skin. The minimally invasive nature of the Harpera Microbiopsy Punch can be ideal for reducing complications when collecting samples from infected or wounded skin. This less invasive method can minimize the risk of further trauma. Microbiopsy enables the scientific community to collect skin specimens more easily than they could using traditional sampling methods.1
For instance, collecting samples over time is invaluable in tracking the progression of vector-borne diseases. The Harpera enables repeated, frequent and non-invasive sampling, which would facilitate this process. This advantage would be particularly beneficial for monitoring asymptomatic populations that may unknowingly spread infections.2
Furthermore, the device's ease of use enables widespread specimen collection across large populations. This device is so easy to use that any healthcare provider, not only specially trained surgeons, can utilize it, making it ideal for field studies in remote or resource-limited settings. This broad applicability supports large-scale epidemiological studies and enhances disease surveillance efforts.3
1. Kirstein, O.D., et al. (2017). "Minimally invasive microbiopsies: a novel sampling method for identifying asymptomatic, potentially infectious carriers of Leishmania donovani." Int J Parasitol 47(10-11): 609-616.
2. Owen, S.I., et al. (2021). "Evaluation of qPCR on blood and skin microbiopsies, peripheral blood buffy coat smear, and urine antigen ELISA for diagnosis and test of cure for visceral leishmaniasis in HIV- coinfected patients in India: a prospective cohort study." BMJ Open 11(4): e042519.
3. Churiso,G.,et al. (2020). "Minimally Invasive Microbiopsies as an Improved Sampling Method for the Diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis." Open Forum Infect Dis 7(9): ofaa364.The logistical benefits of Microbiopsy are significant in the context of infectious diseases, particularly in low-income countries. However, cost remains a critical factor. Current pricing models for the Harpera device and any associated genetic tests of skin samples are prohibitive for widespread adoption in low-income regions.
Efforts are underway to develop cost-effective tests, such as Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) or Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays, which could revolutionize field diagnostics by reducing costs and enabling remote testing.
Currently, the Harpera is mainly utilized within funded research groups, highlighting the need for price adjustments to make this innovative device accessible for broader public health applications. Adoption of new biopsy technologies like the Harpera Microbiopsy Punch face several challenges:
These factors underscore the need for ongoing education, cost management, and technological refinement to ensure that new biopsy methods like Microbiopsy using the Harpera device can be effectively integrated into global health strategies.