Kidney Biopsy: Purpose, Procedure, and Risks
A renal biopsy is a process that extracts kidney tissue for testing in the laboratory. A renal biopsy is also referred to as a kidney biopsy because the word “renal” defines the kidneys.
The test assists your doctor in determining the kind of kidney disease you have, its severity, and the most effective course of therapy. A renal biopsy can be performed to check on the success of kidney therapies and check for problems after a kidney transplant.
A renal biopsy can be carried out in one of two ways:
- Renal needle biopsy (percutaneous biopsy). This kind of kidney biopsy is most routinely performed. In order to extract your kidney tissue during this surgery, a doctor must inject a small biopsy needle through the skin. The needle may be directed to a particular region of the kidney using an ultrasound or CT scan.
- (Surgical biopsy) Open biopsy. Your physician creates a skin incision close to the kidneys for this surgery. This enables the medical professional to examine the kidneys and decide where to take tissue samples.
Purpose
In some cases, kidney issues can be detected without a biopsy by performing blood and urine (pee) tests, a sonogram, or other specialized X-rays, and by having a physical exam as well. However, a proper diagnosis can only be made with a kidney biopsy in select patients with specific forms of kidney disease and those with a failing kidney transplant.
Your doctor might recommend a kidney biopsy for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Check to see if your kidneys are healing properly.
- Identify any potential permanent kidney injury.
- Find out the cause of a transplanted kidney’s poor performance.
- Determine whether a kidney tumor is malignant
- Verify any further uncommon or unique circumstances.
- Check to see if any drugs are harming your kidneys.
- The presence of protein or blood in the urine, respectively
- Anomalous blood test outcomes
- An unidentified cause of acute or chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Nephrotic syndrome and glomerular disease (caused by damage to the kidney’s filtration cells)
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Kidney/ Renal Biopsy Procedure
While having the procedure, the patient will be awake and will be lying on his stomach with his back to the ceiling. Patients who have undergone a renal transplant undergo a biopsy while resting on their backs. The procedure for a kidney biopsy involves the following phases:
- A spot for the kidney biopsy needle is then selected after the size and position of the kidneys are initially established using an ultrasound machine probe.
- The skin on the back, where the point of entry is marked, is cleaned with antiseptic.
- To numb the area, a local anesthetic drug is injected using a syringe and needle at the point of entrance.
- A biopsy needle (a spring-loaded tool) is inserted using the ultrasound probe as a guide, and a kidney sample is obtained.
- When the patient is instructed to hold their breath while the sample is being taken, they may hear a pop, a sharp clicking sound, or feel some pressure.
- The biopsy needle may be inserted numerous times to get a big enough sample.
- A bandage is applied to the biopsy site after the procedure is completed.
Postoperative Care
As a precaution, the patient is kept in the hospital overnight after the biopsy. On his back, the patient is positioned, and the biopsy site is immediately compressed. For six hours, his blood pressure and pulse rate are checked every 30 minutes. In order to detect any bleeding, the patient is given transparent containers to collect pee each time he passes. Even if overnight complete bed rest is prescribed, the patient can get out of bed after six hours. His blood pressure and pulse are tested the following morning, and if there are no complications (such as blood in the urine), the patient is released. Know about MRI Fusion Biopsy Cost in India.
Kidney Biopsy Recovery
Prior to being discharged from the hospital following your kidney biopsy, you will need to heal and remain under monitoring. Depending on your general health, your doctor’s procedures, and how you responded to the procedure, different factors will affect when you are released.
You will typically be escorted to a recovery room where you can rest and be watched. You will spend the next six to eight hours lying on your back, or, if you received a kidney transplant, on your stomach.
Your vital indicators, such as your blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and breathing rate, are monitored by a nurse or doctor. To determine if there is any internal bleeding or other problems, a complete blood count test and a urine test are performed. Additionally, you will receive painkillers for the biopsy.
You will be allowed to leave the hospital and return home after your vital signs are stabilized. Within 12 to 24 hours of the treatment, this typically occurs. Up to 24 hours following the biopsy, bright red blood in the urine is typical. However, if this situation persists for more than a day, you should consult your physician. Normally, when you become hungry, you can resume eating your regular diet. Following your biopsy, your doctor could advise you to stay in bed for 12 to 24 hours and refrain from excessive activities and heavy lifting for two weeks.
Additionally, you should refrain from any bouncing activities for two weeks following your biopsy, including jogging, aerobics, and yoga. If there is any discomfort at the biopsy site, you might want to take an analgesic.
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Kidney Biopsy Risk
Only one percent or fewer kidney biopsy patients experience complications. Although there are relatively few dangers associated with a kidney biopsy, you should still talk to your healthcare provider about them. Even while every precaution is taken to avoid complications, they may still occur, just like in other medical and surgical treatments. If there is significant bleeding, blood transfusions can be required. Rarely, a blood vessel that is harmed during the treatment may need to be repaired through surgery. Although infections are uncommon, antibiotics can be used to treat them if they do arise.
Kidney Biopsy Side Effects
Kidney biopsy’s serious consequences are uncommon. Less significant issues including bleeding, discomfort, and the formation of an abnormal blood vessel connection (a fistula) can also happen. Infection, harm to blood vessels or other organs, and urine leakage are uncommon problems.
Bottom Line
A kidney biopsy is usually performed when a person’s lab tests show abnormal levels of protein or persistent blood in the urine. If a person has a kidney condition that results in an accumulation of waste in the blood, they could also want a biopsy.
A person receives a sedative and local anesthetic while lying on their stomach for the most popular type of biopsy (percutaneous). After that, a medical expert inserts a biopsy needle into the kidney using an ultrasound to guide it. Though they are uncommon, complications can occur. Any symptoms that follow, such as fever or the inability to urinate, should be reported to a doctor.
