Liver biopsies in children - indications, techniques, results and complications. A single-centre study

Introduction: Liver biopsy is a safe and helpful diagnostic tool for many liver disorders. It can be performed using various techniques. Regardless of the technique, the liver biopsy is considered to be a safe procedure. Aim: We aimed to analyze the indications, techniques, results, and complications of liver biopsies in the paediatric age group. Materials and methods: We retrospectively obtained the data from the medical history records of 63 paediatric patients who underwent liver biopsy. The data were analyzed statistically. Results: The most often performed type of biopsy was core needle biopsy (tru-cut), followed by core needle aspiration biopsy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, open biopsy, and laparoscopic biopsy. Complications in the form of hematoma occurred only in 2 cases. The most common indications for the procedure were viral hepatitis monitoring/diagnosis, focal lesions, and autoimmune hepatitis. The histopathological results were predominantly hepatitis (viral and non-viral) and neoplasm. Conclusions: Liver biopsy is a safe procedure regardless of the technique used to obtain a tissue sample. Therefore, it should not be avoided when it is indicated.