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Renal (kidney) biopsyDisclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child. What is a renal biopsy?A renal biopsy is a test that is done to look directly at your child's kidney. A very small piece of kidney tissue is taken out. This is done by doctors from the x-ray department using an ultrasound machine that helps them guide the needle. It is usually done under a general anaesthetic so your child will be asleep while it is being done. There is no cut as the test is done with a needle. Each kidney contains hundreds of thousands of little filters and only about 20 to 30 are taken.
 Back to TopWhy is my child having a renal biopsy?A renal biopsy can provide lots of detailed information about what is going on in the kidneys. Although blood and urine tests provide a lot of useful information, sometimes it is necessary to get the extra information from a biopsy to find out exactly what is happening inside the kidney. This extra information helps your doctors to decide on the best treatments. It also means that doctors can give you more information about what is happening with your child's kidneys.
Back to TopWhat happens before the procedure?Before having a biopsy your child needs to have a scan to see if they have two kidneys in the normal place. They will also need to have blood tests to make sure that their blood clots normally. These will be organised by your paediatrican or the x-ray department that is doing the biopsy.
As the biopsy is done under a general anaesthestic your child will be asked not to eat and drink from early in the morning on the day of the test.
Back to TopWhat happens during the procedure?Your child is usually admitted to the children's ward or possibly to a short or day stay ward. The biopsy is done under a general anaesthestic so your child will be asleep. The biopsy itself only takes a few minutes.
Back to TopWhat happens after the procedure?After the biopsy your child will go to recovery to wake up and then go back to the children's ward or short / day stay ward. Your child will have a small plaster on their back and this can be removed after a couple of hours. To reduce the chance of bleeding or bruising inside the kidney, staff will ask that your child lies on a bed for five to six hours after the test. Your child can eat and drink normally afterwards. If they are sore they can have paracetamol or another painkiller. After a few hours, if everyone is happy then you can take your child home.
Back to TopAre there likely to be any complications?Complications are very rare. They include the possibility of some bleeding afterwards, and pain. This is because there are thousands of little blood vessels inside the kidney and the test can cause some bruising inside the kidney. This should settle very quickly.
Back to TopHow can I prepare my child?You may find some of the suggestions in Helping your child manage their health care treatment / procedure useful.
Back to TopHow do I find out the results?Several different tests will be done on the piece of kidney. Some of the results come back in days and some can take longer. Sometimes the biopsy needs to be sent to another centre for a specialist to look at. Your paediatrician will contact you when the results are available.
Back to TopWhat can my child expect after returning home?Your child might feel sore for a couple of days afterwards and giving paracetamol regularly can help with this. (You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose).
Your child can go back to school after a couple of days. They should avoid playing sports for a week afterwards.
Call your paediatrician or the children's ward for advice if:
Back to TopAcknowledgementsThis fact sheet has been adapted from:
Back to TopYour notesEndorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 04/05/2009
CopyrightFact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation. © The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012
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