title: Is transiliac bone biopsy a painful procedure?
abstract: Despite an increased availability of non-invasive procedures to assess bone  mass, histological examination of undecalcified  transiliac bone biopsies remains a very  valuable tool in the diagnosis of metabolic or  malignant bone disorders. Nonetheless, clinicians  are sometimes reluctant to perform  this "invasive" examination, arguing that it  might be a painful procedure. The aim of our  study was to evaluate pain and anxiety described  by patients in the months following  the biopsy and to characterize potential early  or late side effects. A single interviewer conducted  a phone survey (19 items questionnaire)  in 117 patients in whom a bone biopsy  had been performed by two experienced  physicians, with the same material and similar  anesthetic and technical procedure. The  topics covered pain during or after the biopsy,  anxiety, comparison of other potentially  painful procedures, early or late side effects  as well as global evaluation by the patients.  Bone biopsy was judged as non-painful by  almost 70% of patients; some discomfort  was present in 25% in the following days.  The procedure was described as similar as  or less painful than bone marrow aspiration,  venipuncture or tooth extraction. About 90%  of the patients estimated that it was a quite  bearable diagnostic procedure. Side effects  were not serious. About 7% remembered a  vasovagal episode, 47% of local bruising in  the following days. There was no report of  hematoma or infection. In experienced hands  and adapted trephine, transiliac bone biopsy  is a safe procedure that brings invaluable information  in bone disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bone Diseases, University Hospital, Angers Cedex, France. MaAudran@univ-angers.fr
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Audran
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maury
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouvard
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Legrand
authors.forename: Michel Felix
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Baslé
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chappard
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*