Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risks of renal biopsy in dogs and cats - what to know
By Vaden, Shelly L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2005·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Renal biopsy: a retrospective study of methods and complications in 283 dogs and 65 cats.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Renal biopsy, a procedure used to diagnose kidney disease in dogs and cats, was studied to understand its complications and how to get good samples. In this study involving 283 dogs and 65 cats, about 13.4% of dogs and 18.5% of cats experienced complications, with severe bleeding being the most common issue. Dogs that were younger than 7 years or older than 9 years, weighed 5 kg or less, and had high levels of a waste product called creatinine in their blood were more likely to have complications. Most biopsies were of good quality, especially when done under general anesthesia or through surgery. Overall, the study found that renal biopsy is generally safe, with few severe complications, but certain factors can affect the quality of the samples and the likelihood of complications.
Abstract
Renal biopsy often is required to establish a definitive diagnosis in dogs and cats with renal disease. In this retrospective study, we determined the complications of renal biopsy as well as factors that may be associated with development of complications and procurement of adequate renal biopsy specimens in 283 dogs and 65 cats. Data extracted from medical records at 4 institutions were evaluated using logistic regression. Proteinuria was the most common indication for renal biopsy in dogs. Complications were reported in 13.4 and 18.5% of dogs and cats, respectively. The most common complication was severe hemorrhage; hydronephrosis and death were uncommon. Dogs that developed complications after renal biopsy were more likely to have been 4 to < 7 years of age and > 9 years, to weigh < or = 5 kg, and to have serum creatinine concentrations > 5 mg/dL. The majority of biopsies from both dogs (87.6%) and cats (86.2%) were considered to be of satisfactory quality. Biopsies from dogs were more likely to be of high quality if they were obtained when the patient was under general anesthesia and more likely to contain only renal cortex if they were obtained by surgery. We concluded that renal biopsy is a relatively safe procedure, with a low frequency of severe complications. Hospital practices and patient variables have the potential to impact both the quality of the specimen obtained and the rate of complications.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16355671/