The influence of multiple liver biopsies on hematologic and serum biochemical values of sheep

A rapid, simple liver biopsy technique for sheep was developed to obtain in situ liver samples for evaluation of histological tissue, enzyme assay, and ultrastructural changes that might occur during toxicological testing. The study was designed because repeated biopsies in the same individual could induce bias in hematologic, histological or serum biochemical parameters caused by the trauma of the biopsy procedure. In Experiment I, sheep were divided into a biopsied group (B), sham-operated group (SO), and a nonsurgical, untreated control group (C). Three liver biopsy samples per week were removed from each subject in Group B for five weeks. Biweekly blood samples were drawn for evaluation of hematologic and serum biochemical parameters. In Experiment II, Groups B and SO were dosed with CCl4 in order to validate the applicability of the biopsy procedure. Weekly biopsies were continued in Group B. Biweekly blood samples were evaluated for any hematologic or serum biochemical variations. Significant elevations of enzyme activities confirmed CCl4 hepatotoxicity in treated groups (B and SO) versus C group. Histological lesions in biopsy samples correlated closely with serum biochemical data in treated groups. It was concluded that the serial liver biopsy procedure causes negligible alterations in the hematologic, histological or serum biochemical parameters measured; is simple and rapid to perform, and provides a method for possible early detection of liver disease.