Liver biopsy percutaneous liver biopsy by surecut needle

ABSTRACT

To study the safety and efficacy of Surecut needle in obtaining the liver tissue by percutaneous liver biopsy. Design: Single centered prospective hospital based study. Department of Internal medicine [Unit-1] and Family ward, Combined military hospital Lahore for more than one year from August 2002 to March 2004. One hundred and fifty patients of either gender having asymptomatic hepatitis C carrier state, healthy blood donors, with positive HCV-PCR were included in study. The patients liver biopsy was done with Surecut needle 16G with patient breath suspended in expiration from the periphery of right lobe of liver. Majority of patients, 135 [90%] were male and 15 [10%] were female. The mean age was 30.3 years with range of 25-55years. In 146[97.31%]patients successful biopsy was done while the biopsy was non-diagnostic in 4[2.69%] patients. Mean core length of liver tissue obtained was Mean+sd[1.2+0.42cm] and histopathologic diagnosis was made in 97.31% cases. Total number of attempts were 1-2. In 99% single attempt was done. No major complications related to procedure was seen. liver biopsy with Surecut needle is safe and effective in establishing the diagnosis of Chronic hepatitis