SURGICAL HEMOSTASIS FOR HEMORRHAGE AFTER LIVER-BIOPSY

Bleeding after needle liver biopsy (NLB) is well known but surgical he mostasis in these circonstances is rarely assessed. We report 7 cases of laparotomy for hemostasis after NLB. The 7 NLB were clone for 6 dif fuse hepatopathies and one focal lesion. Three patients had hemostasis disorders at the rime of the biopsy. None had cirrhosis. Five patient s were operated few hours after the biopsy. Direct hemostasis was perf ormed in 6 cases and in hepatectomy in one. Two patients were reoperat ed for three repented hemostasis. Two died. The occurrence of hemoperi toneum after NLB is very rare but serious, occasionally occurring a fe w days after the biopsy. The respect of contre-indications and technic al precautions are the best prevention of this kind of accident.