Outcome of early ambulation after renal biopsy using automated biopsy needle by inexperienced trainees

Percutaneous renal biopsy is a fundamental diagnostic technique. Technical innovations had resulted in an increasing simplicity and safety of the procedure. In this study, 28 kidney biopsies were done using gauge 16 or 18 automated biopsy needle by inexperienced trainees, and patients were allowed full ambulation four hours after biopsy. The trainees failed in 3 (10.7%) attempts. Adequate biopsy was obtained in 89.3%, the mean number of attempts were 2.5 +/- 1.1 (range 1-6/biopsy). The mean length of specimen was 1.5 cm +/- 0.6 (range 0.4-3 cm) and the mean number of glomeruli was 12.8 +/- 7 (range 12-30 glomeruli). Immediately and twenty-four hours after kidney biopsy patients showed no evidence of gross haematuria and ultrasound did not reveal any intrarenal and perirenal haematoma. Microscopic haematuria occurred in 20 (71.4%) patients on the first day and in only 7 (25%) patients the following day. Pain had occurred in 8 (28.5%) patients post-biopsy and in 4 (14.2%) patients on the second day.