Safety of liver biopsy as a day procedure in Abuth Zaria, Nigeria

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Procedures

Background:

• Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a significant health issue and a leading cause of mortality.
• Hepatocellular carcinoma, often a consequence of CLD, has a high mortality rate, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Liver biopsy remains a primary diagnostic method for CLD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and frequency of indications for liver biopsy.
• To assess complications associated with liver biopsy procedures.
• To analyze data from liver biopsies performed between January 2000 and January 2009.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 279 liver biopsy entries.
• Histological confirmation of liver biopsy results for 270 patients (96.77%).
• Documentation of indications, complications, and duration of hospital stay.

Main Results:

• The primary indication for liver biopsy was chronic viral hepatitis, noted in 150 patients (53.76%).
• Post-procedure pain was the most frequent complication, affecting 16 patients (5.7%).
• The average hospital stay post-biopsy was 6.08 ± 0.52 hours.

Conclusions:

• Liver biopsy is a generally safe procedure for diagnosing chronic liver disease.
• Chronic viral hepatitis is the predominant indication for liver biopsy in this cohort.
• Post-procedure pain is the most common, manageable complication of liver biopsy.