Abstract

SOUSA, Ana C.; PIRES, Sara; JACINTO, Margarida  and  ABREU, Tiago Tribolet de. Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: Safety and Utility in 137 Consecutive Patients. Medicina Interna [online]. 2016, vol.23, n.4, pp.11-15. ISSN 0872-671X.

Introduction: Percutaneous liver biopsy (BHP) is an invasive medical procedure, associated with reduced mortality and morbidity. This method is currently considered safe and has a growing applicability in ambulatory regime. The objectives were to study the safety profile of BHP performed in our hospital, evaluate the specialty of the executor, the main indications for the procedure, the usefulness of the results and its applicability as an outpatient procedure. Material and Methods: We reviewed retrospectively all patients undergoing BHP in our hospital over a period of 9 years. Exclusion criteria: post-mortem liver biopsies. We studied demographic, clinical and pathological data. Results:We included 137 procedures performed in 133 consecutive patients (age 51.3 ± 17.2 years, 57.1% were male). The main indication for BHP was the evaluation of hepatic masses, followed by staging and therapeutic decision at hepatitis C infection and evaluation of elevated transaminases. The primary purpose of the procedure was the diagnosis. Gastroenterology was the medical specialty responsible for most procedures (51.8%). The pathologic results were conclusive in 86.1% of biopsies. The rate of complications described was 0.73% (n = 1): it was one pneumothorax and death in a patient of the intensive care unit. In our population, 12.4% of patients were discharged at the same day. There were no complications described in this subgroup. Conclusion:In this study, BHP was a safe technique, with a low rate of serious complications which affirms its application in ambulatory regime. Its result was inconclusive in 14%, indicating the possibility of optimization in the future.

Keywords : Image-Guided Biopsy; Liver/pathology; Liver Diseases/pathology.

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