Percutaneous renal biopsy by automated biopsy gun

To study the safety and efficacy of automated biopsy gun in obtaining the renal tissue by percutaneous renal biopsy.

Single centered prospective hospital based study.

Department of Medicine, Unit II, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore for more than one year from January 2000 to February 2001.

Forty patients of either gender having clinical features of renal disease with overt proteinuria were included in the study. An informed consent was taken from patients. Patients were lied prone, local anaesthesia was given at lower pole of left kidney. Renal biopsy was performed under ultrasound guidance, using 18G spring loaded automated biopsy gun.

Majority of patients, 28(70%), was male. The mean age was 26.9 years with range of 5-70 years. In 37 (97.5%) patients successful biopsy was done while there was its failure in 3 (7.5%) patients. The average core length of renal tissue obtained was Mean+/-SD (1.02+/-0.34) cm with a mean number of glomeruli per core Mean+/-SD (7.76+/-2.36) and histopathological diagnosis was made in all cases. Total number of attempts were 1-3. In 70% patients single attempt was done. No major complication related to the procedure was seen.

Renal biopsy with automated biopsy gun is relatively safe and effective in establishing the diagnosis of renal diseases. Although renal biopsy can be done on outpatient basis, it is better to observe the patients for 24 hours post-operatively for any complication