Percutaneous US-guided renal biopsy: a retrospective study comparing the 16-gauge end-cut and 14-gauge side-notch needles.
OBJECTIVE
Assess glomerular yield and safety profile of two different types of needles for percutaneous ultrasound-guided kidney biopsy.


METHODS
Over 24 months, 121 ultrasonographic ultrasound-guided renal biopsies were performed on native kidneys of 121 adults: 66 with 16-gauge, 29-mm end-cut (BioPince) needles and 55 with 14-gauge, 1.9-mm side-notch (Tru-Cut) needles.


RESULTS
The mean number of complete glomeruli harvested per biopsy was 21.0 and 19.3, respectively, and the mean number of core samples required to obtain a satisfactory biopsy was 1.8 and 2.6, respectively. The ratio of glomeruli harvested to core samples needed with the end-cut needle was 58% greater than that with the side-notch needles (11.7 vs 7.4, respectively; difference of 4.3; 95% confidence interval: 2.0, 6.8). Procedures performed with end-cut needles were associated with fewer major complications (1.5% vs 7.3% with side-notch needles).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to the 14-g Tru-cut needle, the 16-g end-cut needle provided better glomerular yield per core sample, required fewer cores for satisfactory tissue specimen, and resulted in fewer major complications.
Department of Radiology, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote-Ste-Catherine, Montreal H3T 1E2, Canada. andreconstantin@hotmail.com
Andre
A
Constantin
Marie-Laure
ML
Brisson
Janet
J
Kwan
Francesca
F
Proulx
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*