Kidney Biopsy Tests: Procedure, Risks & Results

In order to diagnose a disease or the extent to which it has spread in the body, the doctor may sometimes employ a method where he / she would extract a tiny piece of tissue from the affected or surrounding area for examination; this diagnostic procedure is called a Biopsy. When this procedure is used to diagnose whether the kidneys are affected by cancer, the process is known as Kidney Biopsy or Renal Kidney Biopsy. The test aids the doctor with the necessary information such as the disease severity, the spread of the ailment, and the risks it may pose, thus, enabling the professional in determining the apt treatment and cure strategy.

 Before we discuss kidney biopsy procedure further, it is important to have an in depth look at the various different types of biopsies that are performed.

 There are primarily two types of Renal Kidney Biopsy, both of which are performed fairly widely, however, based on a patient’s conditions or the doctor’s recommendations, the subject to choose rests upon the team of healthcare professionals.  

·  Open Biopsy also known as Surgical Biopsy

·  Renal Needle Biopsy also known as Percutaneous Biopsy

Factors that lead to a renal kidney biopsy:

·  Un-diagnosable ailment in the kidney/s

·  Sudden malfunction of kidney/s 

·  Blood in the urine

·  Excess protein (urea) in the urine 

·  Observation of a transplanted kidney 

Kidney Biopsy Procedure: 

·  Open Biopsy: This process is helpful when the doctor requires a large portion of kidney tissue. A small incision is made near the kidney and once the sample is collected, it is stitched back.

·  Percutaneous Biopsy: In this process, a thin needle is employed. The needle is inserted into the body, and with the use of ultrasound or tomography, the location for extracting the tissue is identified. 

Risks Associated with Renal Biopsy

If you notice any of the signs and symptoms as mentioned below, seek immediate medical attention, as more often than not, these signs may lead to certain kidney biopsy risks: 

·  Difficulty in urination 

·  Presence of blood beyond a day after the biopsy was conducted 

·  Urgent and / frequent need to urinate 

·  Urinary burns 

·  Above points accompanied by fever or chills 

·  Post-biopsy pain in the affected area 

·  Nausea

·  Renal biopsies, in some rare cases, may even cause internal organ damage 

Apart from these indicators, some kidney biopsy complications may happen due to other reasons too, such as certain infections. 

Infections:

·  Affected flow of blood through the kidneys 

·  Diseases in the connective tissues 

·  Diabetes 

·  Kidney transplant rejection 

Additional tests may be recommended by the professional to devise a fully tailored treatment regime. Even the reports from a biopsy are vital in determining the changing the course of treatment, if required.