Pediatric biopsy of a single native kidney.

Technological improvements have reduced the frequency of complications in children receiving a percutaneous renal biopsy. No study has systematically compared the safety of open and percutaneous kidney biopsy. Yet many nephrologists consider a single native kidney an absolute contraindication to percutaneous biopsy. We have established an international registry of single native kidney biopsies in children and we now report our early results. Eight biopsies are included. Seven patients had percutaneous biopsies and one an open biopsy. None of the patients had major complications, and adequate tissue was obtained from all. Our limited experience indicates that the presence of a single native kidney is not an absolute indication for an open approach. We encourage our colleagues to report to the international registry in order to further document the safety of percutaneous biopsy of the single native kidney in children.