DAY-CARE RENAL BIOPSY

Over the 6 years 1989-1994, 384 percutaneous renal biopsies were perfo rmed, 329 on native and 55 on transplanted kidneys. Biopsy was underta ken on a day care basis in 304 instances (79.2%). Failure to obtain 5 or more glomeruli was experienced in 23 (6.0%) of the 304 day care bio psies. There were no significant differences in technical failure rate s between day care patients and inpatients, local analgesia and genera l anaesthetic, or native and transplanted kidneys, but a higher rate w as observed in biopsies performed unaided by trainees than by experien ced operators (P = 0.002). Six patients were detained overnight for mi nor complications and a seventh for unrelated reasons. Two patients di scharged on the day of biopsy despite gross haematuria were readmitted 8-10 days later with secondary haemorrhage. The complication rate of 2.6% compares favourably with published data. Few paediatric renal uni ts currently perform day care renal biopsy, and we recommend its wider acceptance.