Accuracy and Safety of 1,055 Transjugular Liver Biopsies in Postliver Transplant Patients.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:The purpose of this study was to investigate the rates of complications and diagnostic yield of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) in deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) recipients.METHODS:From January 2009 to December 2019, 1,055 TJLBs were performed in 603 adult DDLT recipients with a mean age of 54 (±12 years). Data were retrospectively reviewed to determine the diagnostic efficacy and incidence of major and minor complications in the 3-day and 1-month period after TJLB. In addition, data were stratified according to platelet count and international normalized ratio to determine the safety of TJLB in patients with varying degrees of coagulopathy.RESULTS:TJLB yielded diagnostic rate of 98.1% (1,035/1,055), with an overall complication rate of 8.3% (88/1,055). Major complications accounted for 0.85% (9/1,055), and minor complications occurred in 7.48% (79/1,055). When patients were stratified by platelet count (0–50, 51–100, 101–200, 201–300, and >300 × 103 platelets/μL), no significant difference was noted in complication rates (9.5%, 8.6%, 7.6%, 8.5%, and 10.7%, respectively). When grouped by international normalized ratio (0–1, 1.1–2.0, 2.1–3.0, and >3.0), there was no statistical difference in complication rates (8.3%, 8.5%, 7.7%, and 0%, respectively).DISCUSSION:TJLB is a safe, adequate, and effective method to investigate hepatic disorders in DDLT recipients with severe coagulopathy.