Prophylactic Intravenous Access: Is It Necessary for Renal Transplant Biopsies?

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous renal transplant biopsies have long been a safe and effective procedure with bleeding being the most common significant complication. Only a few studies, however, have addressed the need for intravenous access prior to the procedure. OBJECTIVES: We postulate that the number of patients requiring intravenous resuscitation after a routine renal transplant biopsy is sufficiently low enough to prove that eliminating pre-procedural peripheral IV placement will have no negative impact on patient safety and could improve departmental efficiency. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of complications that occurred in patients who underwent routine percutaneous renal transplant biopsies at an academic center. Patients were divided into two groups the IV cohort that had peripheral IV access placed before the procedure (n=1318) and the no-IV cohort that did not (n=492). RESULTS: This is a retrospective analysis of complications that occurred in patients who underwent routine percutaneous renal transplant biopsies at an academic center. Patients were divided into two groups the IV cohort that had peripheral IV access placed before the procedure (n=1318) and the no-IV cohort that did not (n=492). CONCLUSIONS: Placement of prophylactic peripheral IV access in patients undergoing routine renal transplant biopsies does not significantly impact the rate of biopsy complications.