Korean J Med.  1998 Feb;54(2):153-157.

Transjugular Liver Biopsy: The Adequacy and Safety

• Kim DH
• Kim HJ
• Park NH
• Lee GC
• Chung YW
• Lee YS
• Goo DE
• Yoon HK
• Sung KB
• Yu E
• Suh DJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Liver biopsy is an essential tool to confirm suspected diagnosis and to guide specific therapy in patients with liver disease. But, the standard percutaneous needle biopsy is contraindicated in patients with coagulopathy and large amount of ascites. The transjugular approach has been developed for these problem cases, but its efficacy and safety has not been adequately tested in korea.
METHODS
We retrospectively analysed 21 transjugular liver biopsy cases, and the success rate of procedure, the adequacy of obtained specimen for diagnosis and procedure related complications were reviewed.
RESULTS
The major reasons for trasjugular liver biopsy were coagulopathy(71%) and massive ascites(19%). Liver tissue was obtained successfully in 20 of 21 cases. The mean number of specimens was 3.4+/-1.1 per case and the mean size of specimen was 1.8+/-0.7mm. Pathologists reviewed and judged as adequate for diagnosis in 13 cases(65%), helpful in 6 cases(30%), and inadequate in 1 case. Minor complications such as neck pain, hematoma at puncture site, or transient fever occurred in 5 cases (23.8%) but there was no major complication or procedure-related mortality.
CONCLUSION
Transjugular liver biopsy is a safe and valuable technique that provides adequate diagnostic informations in about two thirds of patients for whom conventional percutaneous biopsy is contraindicated.

Keyword

Transjugular liver biopsy; Complication

MeSH Terms

Ascites
Biopsy*
Biopsy, Needle
Diagnosis
Fever
Hematoma
Humans
Korea
Liver Diseases
Liver*
Mortality
Neck Pain
Punctures
Retrospective Studies