Percutaneous Renal Biopsy in Severely Uraemic Patients with the Aid of Retrograde Pyelography and Roentgen Television

Abstract

Retrograde pyelography and television-monitored fluoroscopy was used to locate the kidney for percutaneous needle biopsy in patients with chronic renal disease of long standing, severe uraemia and small kidneys. With this method the point of the biopsy needle could be placed in the desired peripheral area on the kidney surface and at a safe distance from large arteries. The depth of the point of the needle in the renal parenchyma could also be estimated. Some risk of bleeding remains, however, in this cathegory of patients, who have great haemorrhagic tendencies.

We have started to perform percutaneous needle biopsies simultaneously with renal arterial angiography. It is, however, too early to try to assess the value of this technique.