ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULA AND BLEEDING INTO T HE RENAL PELVIS AFTER PERCUTANEOUS RENAL BIOPSY

Percutaneous renal biopsy was performed in a 40-year old transplant re cipient suffering from renal function impairment. The examination of t he main transplant artery by duplex Doppler ultrasonography showed nor mal values for the resistive index and renal blood flow volume. Postbi optic real-time ultrasonography showed an echogenic mass in the renal collecting system, which was dilatated in prior examinations. In addit ion, we found an arteriovenous fistula by colour coded Doppler ultraso nography showing a characteristic Doppler wave-form shape in an interl obar artery. No changes in the resistive index and renal flow volume c ould be demonstrated by Doppler examination of the main renal artery. The complications of percutaneous biopsy disappeared spontaneously. Al though die incidence of major complications after renal graft biopsy w ith the automated biopsy instrument is very low, our report demonstrat es typical complications following percutaneous renal biopsy. We concl ude that B-scan and colour coded Doppler ultrasonography are sensitve diagnostic methods to observe patients post biopsy for potential compl ications.