[Fatal incident after diagnostic hepatic needle biopsy (author's transl)]

Included among the complications after hepatic puncture are, expecially intraabdominal haemorrhages. This report concerns a 22-year old woman with a delayed haemorrhage, which culminated in death 5 days after a hepatic needle biopsy. The arguments for and against the necessity of this surgical procedure and the legal responsibility are discussed with the pertinent literature references.