Percutaneous liver biopsy--2 decades of experience in a public hospital in the South of Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Liver biopsy is a complementary method for diagnosis, staging and therapeutic guidance in liver diseases, where chronic viral hepatitis are the most acknowledged causes for the indication of histopathological study. The objective is to assess the patients' profile as well as the indication and results of percutaneous liver biopsies in a tertiary hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-section study was carried out through the review of medical charts (retrospective cohort) of patients submitted to blind percutaneous liver biopsies (PLB) at a hospital in Porto Alegre, South Brazil, from October 1993 to December 2011. RESULTS: 1,955 PLB were carried out, the mean patients' age was 44.8 years old, and 1,127 (57.65%) were men. Chronic hepatitis C was the main indication (60.5%), followed by HCV-HIV coinfection (12.2%) and chronic hepatitis B (3.5%). Seven cases (0.3%) had complications, without deaths. CONCLUSION: PLB is a safe method and continues to be an important option to assist patients with chronic liver disease.