What is Liver Biopsy?

This is a procedure to obtain a sample of your liver tissue.

Biopsies of the liver are usually done to evaluate:

• Abnormal blood tests (eg, elevated liver enzymes, elevated copper, or iron in the blood)
• An enlarged liver
• The severity of liver diseases
• The progress of therapy for liver diseases
• A liver mass
• The liver after a liver transplant

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a liver biopsy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Pain (common)
• Bleeding (uncommon)
• Infection (rare)
• Perforation of the gallbladder or intestines (rare)
• Puncture of the lung (rare)

Call Your Doctor

After arriving home, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the incision site
• Severe abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting
• A faint or light-headed feeling
• Severe shoulder pain
• Trouble breathing, cough, or chest pain

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.