Liver biopsy
A liver biopsy is not a routine procedure, but is performed when it
is necessary to determine the presence of liver disease and to look
for malignancy, cysts, parasites, or other pathology. The actual
procedure is only slightly uncomfortable. Most of the discomfort
arises from being required to lie still for several hours
afterwards to prevent bleeding from the biopsy site.
Review Date: 3/5/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine,
Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of
Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD,
Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care
Program, San Francisco, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve,
MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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