Modified open renal biopsy: results in 934 patients.

Nine hundred and thirty-four cases of open renal biopsy using the 'Kawamura-modified forceps' have been performed over the past 9 years under general anesthesia. Sufficient amounts of renal tissue for routine histology, immunofluorescence staining and electron microscopy were obtained in all 934 cases. There were no serious major complications attributable to the procedure. It is concluded that this procedure can be performed easier and faster than the previous technique of percutaneous renal biopsy, although patients undergoing open renal biopsy with the Kawamura-modified forceps have to be transferred to the operating room for this procedure.