LIVER BIOPSY

Objective: To study the safety and efficacy of Surecut needle in obtaining the liver tissue by percutaneous liver biopsy. Design: Single centered prospective hospital based study. Place and duration of study: Department of Internal medicine (Unit-1) & Family ward, Combined military hospital Lahore for more than one year from August 2002 to March 2004. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty patients of either gender having asymptomatic hepatitis C carrier state, healthy blood donors, with positive HCV-PCR were included in study. The patients liver biopsy was done with Surecut needle 16G with patient breath suspended in expiration from the periphery of right lobe of liver. Result: Majority of patients, 135 ( 90% ) were male and 15 (10%) were female. The mean age was 30.3 years with range of 25-55years. In 146(97.31%)patients successful biopsy was done while the biopsy was non-diagnostic in 4(2.69%) patients. Mean core length of liver tissue obtained was Mean+sd(1.2+0.42cm) and histopathologic diagnosis was made in 97.31% cases. Total number of attempts were 1-2. In 99% single attempt was done. No major complications related to procedure was seen. Conclusions: liver biopsy with Surecut needle is safe and effective in establishing the diagnosis of Chronic hepatitis.