Percutaneous Renal Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Renal Disease in Uraemia

Abstract

The possibility of diagnosing renal disease in uraemia by percutaneous renal biopsy was studied in 60 uraemic patients (66 biopsy attempts). in 54 of the 60 patients (90%) the biopsy yield sufficed to supply the answers to clinicans' questions concerning the patient. the number of glomeruli and the size of the kidneys were important, but the degree of uraemia did not seem to influence the possibility of diagnosis, in 85% of the patients with small kidneys and serum creatinine exceeding 10 mg% clinically valuable information could be given. Serious complications of biopsy (protracted haematuria, sudden hypotension or concealed perirenal bleeding) occurred in 1 of the 47 uraemic patients with serum creatinine readings between 2 and 9.9 mg% but in 4 of the 15 patients who were receiving regular haemodialysis.

From this study it was concluded that percutaneous renal biopsy in uraemic patients is a fairly good source of diagnostic information even when the kidneys are small and uraemia is severe. Despite refinements in biopsy technique, the risk of complicating haemorrhage remains, though of moderate degree and predominantly in patients with severe uraemia and regular haemodialysis.