Transjugular versus Transfemoral Transcaval Liver Biopsy: A Single-Center Experience in 500 Cases

To compare the safety and efficacy of transfemoral transcaval liver biopsies (TFTC) with that of transjugular liver biopsies (TJLB) at a single tertiary-care institution.

A retrospective review was performed of 500 consecutive transvenous liver biopsies between December 2010 and December 2018. The cases included 286 TFTC patients at a median age of 54 years old (interquartile range [IQR], 42-63 years of age), 37.4% were female; and 214 TJLB patients at a median age of 55 years old (IQR, 46-61 years of age), 45.4% female. Patient demographic and laboratory data and technical and histopathological success, fluoroscopy times, and complications were recorded. Comparative statistical analyses were performed using a 2-sample test or a Wilcoxon ranked sum test for continuous variables and a chi-square test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables when appropriate.

TFTC and TJLB data are presented as: technical success rates of 99.3% (283 of 286) and 100% (214 of 214), respectively; histopathologic success rates of 96.5% (275 of 285) and 95.8% (205 of 214), respectively; and major complication rates of 1.4% (4 of 284) and 5.6% (12 of 214), respectively (P = .009). There were no hepatic injuries in the TFTC group, whereas the TJLB group included 6 significant hepatic injuries requiring intervention. Median fluoroscopic times were 5.5 minutes (IQR, 3.9-8.6 minutes) for TFTC and 8.1 minutes (IQR, 5.2-13.1) for TJLB (P < .001).

In this single-institution study, TFTC was associated with a lower major complication rate and lower fluoroscopy times than conventional TJLB with similar technical and histopathologic successes.