Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of renal lesions: experience in a tertiary center

endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows the histological diagnosis of radiologically undetermined renal lesions, although few series have been described.

to describe the procedure, yield and complications of EUS-guided renal fine-needle aspiration (FNA).

a retrospective case series in a prospective database was used that consecutively included EUS procedures from March 2014 to August 2018. Data on complications, outcome and follow-up were collected. A successful FNA was defined as any FNA that allowed a histological diagnosis. Lesions were considered as malignant when surgically confirmed as such (the histological diagnosis was used for non-surgical patients) and benign when radiographically stable for ≥ 12 months.

eight patients were identified with a median age of 61.6 years (57.3-71.9), and five (62.5 %) were female. Five FNA procedures involved the right kidney and three involved the left kidney. 22G cytology needles were used. Renal FNA was diagnostic in all cases, with no complications.

EUS-guided FNA may represent an effective, safe procedure for the diagnosis of renal lesions of an uncertain origin.