Diagnosis of renal parenchymal diseases by a modified open kidney biopsy technique

A modified open renal biopsy technique was performed under local anesthesia on 129 patients over a 10-year period. This technique yielded sufficient tissue to establish a diagnosis for every patient. The mean number of glomeruli obtained was 54 +/- 3; the mean duration of the operation was 71 +/- 2 min. No deaths resulted and only one major complication developed following this procedure which required additional surgery. Two patients required blood transfusions following surgery and both had a bleeding abnormality. These results demonstrate that the modified open renal biopsy technique is a safe and reliable procedure that should be performed whenever the percutaneous route is either unsuccessful or contraindicated.