[A prospective study about the usefulness of ultrasonographic monitoring after invasive liver procedures--liver biopsy and fine-needle aspiration (FNA)].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the need to perform ultrasound scans to all patients after liver biopsy or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in order to detect complications with or without symptoms.


METHODS
After liver biopsy or FNA using a regular protocol the patient is observed for 24 hours at the hospital, and all patients undergo an abdominal sonography at that time even in the absence of evident complications.


RESULTS
298 liver biopsies and 98 FNAs were performed. There were complications in 37 patients (9.34%): 36 (9.09%) were minor complications such as pain, vasovagal episodes, or small bleeding, and 1 (0.25%) was a major complication with severe hemorrhage. Only 1 out of all 396 procedures had a complication detected by ultrasounds (intrahepatic hematoma) while the patient was asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
The low incidence of complications occurring without symptoms, and their favorable course suggest that routine ultrasonography is not necessary after these techniques, and that it should be only performed when a complication is suspected.
Carrera Alonso
E
E
Departamento de Gastroenterología, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. elisacar@terra.es
García González
M
M
Valer López-Fando
P
P
Plaza Palacios
G
G
López San Román
A
A
Gil Grande
L
L
Milicua Salamero
J M
JM
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography