PERCUTANEOUS CT-GUIDED BIOPSY OF ADRENAL MASSES - IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED COMPLICATIONS

Objective: To determine the immediate and delayed complications of per cutaneous adrenal biopsy and any relationship between biopsy methods a nd complications. Materials and Methods: Medical records and radiologi cal examinations of 83 percutaneous adrenal biopsy were reviewed. Indi cation for biopsy, inpatient/outpatient outpatient status, lesion size and location, imaging modality used, needle type, size, approach and number of passes, biopsy results, immediate complications, and delayed complications were recorded. Results: Computed tomography was used in 79 cases (95%) and ultrasound in 4 (5%). The biopsy approach was post erior in 37 cases, transhepatic in 33, transpancreatic in 9, anterior in 2, transsplenic in 1, and lateral in 1. The total complication rate was 8.4% and was slightly higher for the transhepatic approach (12%) than the posterior approach (8%). Seven complications occurred: two pn eumothoraces, two pain, one perinephric hemorrhage, one subcapsular an d intrahepatic hematoma, and one hepatic needle-tract metastasis. The posterior approach was complicated by the two pneumothoraces and perin ephric blood; the transhepatic was used in the other four. Five of the complications occurred with 22 gauge needles. Conclusion: Percutaneou s adrenal biopsy is a safe procedure. Complications occurred in 7 of o ur patients (8.4%).