Prospective study of the incidence of ultrasound-detected hepatic hematomas 2 and 24 hours after percutaneous liver biopsy.
Recently, a high incidence of hepatic hematomas following percutaneous liver biopsy was reported. This induced us to undertake this prospective ultrasound examination before, as well as 2 and 24 h after, percutaneous liver biopsy, using a Menghini needle (O 1.4 mm), in 93 patients for diagnostic purposes. Two hours after biopsy a small subcapsular fluid margin was found in one patient (1.1%) which disappeared within 24 h. We conclude that hepatic hematomas are not frequent following percutaneous liver biopsy and that it remains a safe diagnostic procedure to find out the reason for chronically elevated liver enzymes and evaluate suspected diffuse parenchymal lesions of the liver.
Lankisch
P G
PG
Department of Internal Medicine, Municipal Hospital, Lüneburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Thiele
E
E
Mahlke
R
R
Lübbers
H
H
Riesner
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography