[Prospective study of the incidence of ultrasound detectable liver hematomas after laparoscopically controlled liver puncture with the Silverman needle].

BACKGROUND

A high incidence of hepatic haematomas detected at sonography following percutaneous liver biopsy and laparoscopy-guided liver biopsy has recently been reported.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prompted by this report, we carried out a prospective study on 71 patients aged between 20 and 79 years (median age: 51 years). The patients were examined by ultrasound prior to and following laparoscopy-guided biopsy with the Silverman needle.

RESULTS

Only two of the 71 patients (3%) had a hepatic haematoma after biopsy. The haemangiomas had a maximum diameter of 2.6 cm, caused no pain, and disappeared again within ten days at the latest. No therapeutic measures were required.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that laparoscopy-guided liver biopsy with the Silverman needle is associated with relatively few complications.