Only a tiny sample of your child’s kidney is taken, so the procedure will not affect how their kidneys work.

All medical and surgical procedures can cause complications, even though every effort is made to prevent them. The vast majority of kidney biopsies happen without any problems. Your doctor will talk to you and your child about the possible problems that may happen before you consent (agree) to the procedure.

These are some problems which may occur after a kidney biopsy:

• Inadequate sample In 1 in 20 biopsies, the sample that is taken is not enough to make a diagnosis and your child may need to have another biopsy.
• Blood in the urine (haematuria) 1 in 10 children will have a small amount of visible blood in their urine for up to 24 hours after their biopsy. Your child’s healthcare team will check for this after the biopsy and before your child goes home. For most children this goes away without needing any treatment.
• Blood transfusion If the bleeding is heavier, or continues for a long time, your child may need a blood transfusion where they receive blood from someone else. This happens in less than 1 in 100 biopsies.
• Damage to other organs If the bleeding cannot be stopped or another organ is damaged accidentally, your child may need to have an operation to repair the damage. This is very rare.

Alternatives to a kidney biopsy

A kidney biopsy is usually done when other tests have not been able to identify the cause of your child’s kidney problem.

The alternative is not to have the biopsy, but rather to use other tests to guide treatment. This may mean that your child does not get a specific treatment that might have been identified by the kidney biopsy results. You can discuss any alternatives with your doctor.

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