To Compare the Efficacy and Complications of 16 Gauge and 18 Gauge Trucut Biopsy Needle in Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Liver Biopsies

Background: Ultrasound guided percutaneous liver biopsy is the gold standard for characterization of liver lesions and determination of diffuse liver disease and liver fibrosis. It is an easy but invasive method which sometimes may cause severe complications. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted from January 2016 to December 2016. A total of 426 patients were included in the study, out of which 244 (57.3%) were males while 182 (42.7%) were females. Mean age of the patients was 54.62 ± 13.25 years. 202 (47.41%) patients underwent liver biopsy by 16 gauge trucut biopsy needle while 224 (52.58%) patients had biopsies using 18 gauge needle. Results: Overall, mild pain was found in 86 (20.2%) patients, severe pain in 36 (8.5%) patients, vasovagal in 13 (3.1%) patients, local hematoma in 12 (2.8%), severe hemorrhage in 3 (0.7%), pneumothorax in 2 (0.5%) patients while 20 (4.7%) samples were inadequate. Comparison of complications in both groups showed that except inadequate specimen and severe pain, insignificant association of complications was observed in both group. Number of inadequate specimen was significantly higher in patients who underwent biopsy by 18 gauge trucut needle as compared to the patients who underwent biopsy by 16 gauge needle (P value 0.001). Severe pain was significantly higher in patients who underwent biopsy by 16 gauge needle as compared to 18 gauge needle (P value 0.016). Conclusions: Ultrasound guided percutaneous liver biopsy using either 16 or 18 gauge trucut needle is safe and effective method to characterize liver lesions with very low rate of complications. However 16 gauge needle should be preferred as the inadequacy of specimen in our study was higher for 18 gauge needle.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
26. April 2021