Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bleeding risk and complications after liver biopsy in cats
By Pavlick, Michelle et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2019·Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bleeding risk and complications associated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 30 cats underwent a liver biopsy using ultrasound guidance to diagnose liver disease. After the procedure, all cats showed a drop in their packed cell volume (PCV), which indicates blood loss, with 43% experiencing minor bleeding and 57% having major bleeding. Cats diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis were more likely to have significant bleeding complications. While most cats recovered, the study highlights that even though the procedure is generally safe, there is a risk of bleeding that may not be easily predicted.
People also search for: cat liver biopsy risks · cat bleeding after liver biopsy · hepatic lipidosis in cats · cat liver disease symptoms · cat liver biopsy recovery
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Liver biopsy is necessary for a diagnosis of liver disease; however, post-biopsy bleeding is a concern. The aim of this study was to describe the extent of bleeding and the occurrence of complications after percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (PUGLB) in cats. METHODS: The medical records of 30 cats that had a PUGLB were retrospectively reviewed. Using human guidelines, bleeding was classified as minor or major when the absolute change in packed cell volume (ΔPCV) was <0 and >-6% or ≤-6%, respectively. Complications were defined as physiologic compromise necessitating an intervention, or death. The relationship between ΔPCV and the occurrence of complications and the signalment, initial PCV, coagulation parameters, serum liver enzymes and bilirubin, number of biopsies, histological diagnosis, ultrasound findings, radiologist experience, concurrent procedures and vitamin K administration were assessed using Fisher's exact test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient, with a P value <0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: All cats had a decrease in PCV after biopsy. The mean ΔPCV was -6.9% ± 4.1%. Minor and major bleeding occurred in 13/30 (43.3%) and 17/30 (56.7%) cats, respectively, and non-lethal bleeding complications occurred in 5/30 (16.7%). Cats with complications had a lower pre-biopsy PCV ( P <0.003). Major bleeding was more likely with a diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis ( P = 0.03). There was no correlation between ΔPCV or complications and signalment, coagulation parameters, serum parameters, number of biopsies, ultrasound findings, radiologist experience, concurrent procedures and vitamin K administration. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: PUGLB is a relatively safe procedure in cats, although many cats have a subclinical decrease in PCV. As conventional coagulation tests did not predict complications or the magnitude of ΔPCV, there is a need for more sensitive indicators of bleeding risk in cats undergoing PUGLB.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30099964/