title: Stereotactic brain biopsy: Single center retrospective analysis of complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stereotactic biopsy is a widely used surgical technique for the histological diagnosis of intracranial lesions. Potential risks of this procedure, such as hemorrhage, seizure, and infection have been established, and different risk factors have been characterized. However, these risks have been addressed by only few studies conducted in Asian countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group is comprised of 299 consecutive stereotactic biopsy procedures by 11 neurosurgeons between 2004 and 2007. The pre-operative medical conditions, methods of biopsy and postoperative complications were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall diagnostic yield was 90.64%. Complications were observed in 7.36% of the cases, with symptomatic hemorrhages occurring in 4.35% of the cases, and the overall mortality rate in this study population was 1.34%. Patients with liver cirrhosis were at a higher risk of hemorrhage. Other clinical, radiological, or histological variables were not associated with an increased risk of complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stereotactic brain biopsy is a safe and reliable way to obtain a histological diagnosis. Based on our recent clinical experiences, the data suggests that more attention should be paid to liver cirrhotic patients, since the chance on hemorrhage is significantly larger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Medical College and University, 5, Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan County, Linkou 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Peng-Wei
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tai-Wei
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Erich Wu
authors.forename: Shih-Tseng
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chen-Nen
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kuo-chen
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Chieh-Tsai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tai-Ngar
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Yung-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tzu-Kang
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Sai-Cheung
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yin-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome