title: Safety and efficacy of blind percutaneous liver biopsy at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
abstract: Liver biopsy remains the gold standard investigation in the diagnosis and prognostication of hepatic maladies worldwide. However, because of its invasive nature and inherent complications, which may rarely be fatal, the procedure is often resented and rejected by patients who otherwise may benefit from it. There is a need to assure patients of its safety and efficacy; hence this prospective study was carried out. Blind percutaneous liver biopsy (BPLB) was carried out in 25 adults with chronic liver diseases after excluding contraindications of the procedure. Post-biopsy, patients were monitored for possible haemodynamic disturbances and abdominal distension for 6 hours after the procedure. No significant alteration of haemodynamic parameters was found in any of the patients. Three patients (12%) had right shoulder tip pain immediate post biopsy, 1 patient (4%) developed right-sided lobar pneumonia 2 days after the procedure. The diagnostic yield was 92%, while the clinico-histological correlation was 24%. No mortality was recorded. It is concluded that BPLB is safe, efficacious and necessarily mandatory, when indicated, for accurate diagnosis, management and prognostication in liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Otegbayo
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Durodoye
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Maxwell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity