[Ultrasound-controlled puncture procedures: free-hand puncture versus transducer biopsy puncture. 5 years' experience].

To compare the accuracy of both ultrasound-guided puncture methods 417 patients were examined over a period of 5 years (retrospectively). Our results show no significant difference in accuracy between free-hand puncture and biopsy transducer puncture. It may be that puncture of very small (less than 2 cm) und very deep (greater than 8 cm) targets by biopsy transducer is a little more advantageous. In our opinion free-hand puncture is time-saving. Free-hand puncture allows a better visibility of the biopsy-needle artefact and is better practicable in case of anomalies of body structure. We did not observe complications worth mentioning with any of these two methods. We prefer free-hand puncture.