Kidney biopsy in jordan: complications and histopathological findings.

In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records, and histopathology findings of 191 patients who underwent renal biopsies at King Hussein Medical Center (KHMC) during a four-year period (1993-97). All were performed using Tru-Cut needles under ultrasound guidance. There were 119 males (62.3%) and 72 females (37.7%); the mean age was 29.1 years (range 5-76 years). Side effects of the renal biopsies included pain at the site of he biopsy in 17 (8.9%), gross hematuria in six (3.1%) and hematuria requiring blood transfusion in one (0.5%) patient. Nephrotic syndrome was the most common indication for biopsy followed by acute renal failure of unknown etiology. Among the nephritic patients, minimal change disease and post-infectious glomerulonephritis (GN) were the commonest findings in children below the age of 15 years, membrano-proliferative GN ranked first in adults whole membranous GN and amyloidosis were more common in the elderly. WE conclude that renal biopsy was associated with a n acceptably low rate of complications in our practice, and that the patterns of renal histology vary slightly from those reported from other countries.