Value of ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy in children following liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric liver transplant recipients often need to undergo liver biopsies for the detection and specification of complications such as acute or chronic graft rejection, infection, or drug toxicity. Complications resulting from liver biopsy are rare. The aim of our single-center retrospective study was to report on liver biopsy-related complications and, moreover, to assess the significance of histological findings in correlation with the suspected diagnosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Overall, 120 liver biopsies from 67 children were performed and analyzed. All of the biopsies were performed with ultrasound guidance using midazolam and ketamine.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of complications was 5.0%, but most of these complications were mild. In 2 cases, however, the complications were severe and required surgical intervention in addition to further medical treatment.In about 92% of the cases, liver histology confirmed the previously suspected diagnosis based on clinical and clinical laboratory indications.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that postliver transplantation liver biopsy in children seldom provides unexpected results and, even using ultrasound guidance, has led, albeit rarely, to serious complications. We therefore now accept potential delay in treatment and reserve liver biopsy for patients who fail to respond to therapy based on clinical judgment.