Day care renal biopsy

Abstract.

Over the 6 years 1989–1994, 384 percutaneous renal biopsies were performed, 329 on native and 55 on transplanted kidneys. Biopsy was undertaken on a day care basis in 304 instances (79.2%). Failure to obtain 5 or more glomeruli was experienced in 23 (6.0%) of the 304 day care biopsies. There were no significant differences in technical failure rates between day care patients and inpatients, local analgesia and general anaesthetic, or native and transplanted kidneys, but a higher rate was observed in biopsies performed unaided by trainees than by experienced operators (P = 0.002). Six patients were detained overnight for minor complications and a seventh for unrelated reasons. Two patients discharged on the day of biopsy despite gross haematuria were readmitted 8–10 days later with secondary haemorrhage. The complication rate of 2.6% compares favourably with published data. Few paediatric renal units currently perform day care renal biopsy, and we recommend its wider acceptance.