A kidney biopsy is a medical examination in which a small sample of kidney tissue is taken to study kidney disease or to accompany patients who have undergone a kidney transplant, for example, the biopsy should be performed in the hospital and the person should be kept under observation.over a period of 12 hours so your doctor can monitor the person’s progress and the amount of blood in your urine.
Before performing the biopsy, other tests, such as the coagulogram and urine tests, in addition to renal ultrasound, are necessary to check for cysts, kidney shape and characteristics, to check whether the Biopsy test is possible.This procedure is not indicated if the person has a single kidney, shows signs and symptoms of infection, is haemophiliac or has a polycystic kidney.
- The nephrologist may indicate a renal biopsy when a large amount of protein and/or blood is observed in urine of unknown origin.
- In case of acute kidney failure that does not improve and after a kidney transplant to track the patient.
A kidney biopsy is then indicated to investigate diseases affecting the kidney and confirm diagnosis, such as:
In addition, a kidney biopsy may be indicated to evaluate the disease’s response to treatment and to check the extent of kidney failure.
Not every time the results change, a biopsy is needed, i.e. if the person has blood in the urine, changes in creatinine or proteins in the urine in isolation and is not accompanied by high blood pressure, for example, a biopsy is performed.not indicated In addition, a biopsy is not necessary if the reason for kidney damage is known.
The biopsy must be performed in the hospital, with local anesthesia applied to adult patients who collaborate in the procedure or sedation in children or in non-cooperative adults, the procedure lasts about 30 minutes, but it is recommended that the patient remain in the hospital. for 8 to 12 hours after the procedure so the doctor can assess the person’s response to the test.
Prior to the procedure, an ultrasound of the kidneys and urinary tract is performed to look for changes that compromise or increase the risk of the scan, and laboratory tests such as blood culture, coagulogram and urine tests are performed to see if the biopsy is possible without complications.
If everything is compliant, the person is placed face down and the examination is performed using the ultrasound image, which helps identify the best place to place the needle. The needle takes a sample of kidney tissue, which is sent to the lab Most of the time, two samples are taken from different parts of the kidney to make the result more accurate.
After the biopsy, the patient should remain in the hospital for monitoring and there is no risk of bleeding after the procedure or change in blood pressure.It is important for the patient to tell the doctor of any symptoms after the biopsy.such as difficulty urinating, chills, blood in the urine more than 24 hours after the biopsy, fainting or increased pain or swelling at the site of the biopsy.
To perform the biopsy it is recommended not to take medications such as anticoagulants, antiplatelets or anti-inflammatory drugs at least 1 week before the biopsy, and your doctor recommends performing a kidney ultrasound to look for a single kidney, tumors, cysts, fibrous kidneys or atrophids that are contraindications for the examination.
Kidney biopsy is not indicated for single kidney, atrophied or polycystic kidneys, clotting problems, uncontrolled hypertension or symptoms of urinary tract infection.
Renal biopsy is low risk and does not present many associated complications, however, in some cases there may be bleeding, so it is recommended that the person stay in the hospital so that the doctor can observe the presence of any signs of internal bleeding.