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Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Author Spotlight: Developing a Bedside Protocol for Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasonography
Published on: June 21, 2024
Prognostic Factors for Complications Following Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Kidney Biopsy: A 7-Year Retrospective
Sehyun Jung1, Seunghye Lee1, Hyejin Jeon1
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine and Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, South Korea.
Introduction:
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy is a key diagnostic tool, but it carries a risk of complications. This study aimed to evaluate complication rates and identify associated clinical and procedural factors.
Methods:
This retrospective study analyzed 627 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy between January 2013 and December 2019. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations between complications and potential risk factors, adjusting for demographics, clinical characteristics, and procedural variables.
Results:
Complications occurred in 75% of patients, with hematoma (69.7%) being the most frequent, followed by pain (14.5%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1; p = 0.024). Obesity (adjusted OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.34-0.74; p < 0.001) and smoking (adjusted OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.36-0.9; p = 0.015) were associated with a reduced risk of complications.
Conclusions:
Complications were common following ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy; however, the majority were minor and clinically manageable. Older age, obesity, and smoking were independently associated with a lower risk of complications. These findings highlight the overall safety of the procedure and emphasize the importance of individualized risk assessment in clinical practice.
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