Nierbiopt

Nierbiopt, in English known as a renal or kidney biopsy, is a medical procedure to obtain a small sample of kidney tissue for histological examination. The term comes from Dutch nier (kidney) and biopt (biopsy). It is used to diagnose kidney diseases and to guide treatment decisions, including assessment of suspected glomerular disease, nephrotic syndrome, nephritic syndrome, or evaluation of kidney transplant rejection.

Indications for nierbiopt include unexplained decreases in kidney function, persistent proteinuria or hematuria, abnormal imaging results, or monitoring of transplanted kidneys for rejection. It may also be used to classify certain kidney disorders when noninvasive tests are inconclusive.

Most nierbiopsies are percutaneous, performed with local anesthesia under ultrasound or CT guidance. A small needle extracts one or more core samples of kidney tissue. The procedure is typically done on an outpatient basis, with monitoring after the procedure for several hours. Patients are advised to limit physical activity for a day or two and to report any heavy bleeding or fever.

Possible complications include bleeding (the most common), formation of a perinephric hematoma, pain, infection, injury to surrounding structures, or rarely loss of kidney function. Coagulation status is usually checked beforehand; anticoagulants may be withheld as advised.

Diagnostic yield is high when histological analysis is combined with immunofluorescence or molecular studies. Results can guide immunosuppressive therapy and transplant management. Development of ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy in the late 20th century improved safety and accuracy; earlier methods included open surgical biopsy.