Transjugular Liver Biopsy

A minimally invasive way to take a liver sample

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What is a Transjugular Liver Biopsy?

The liver is an organ in the right upper belly. It makes juices that help digest food. It stores nutrients and energy from food. The liver also cleans toxins from the blood.

Blood tests or medical imaging may show that your liver is not working properly. Your clinician may need to look at it more closely to figure out why. They take a biopsy, or a tiny piece of your liver, then look at it under a microscope. This helps them make a diagnosis so they know what treatments to offer you.

Clinicians can either take a liver biopsy through the skin of the belly or from inside the veins within the liver. This second approach is called a “transjugular liver biopsy” because the clinician gets to the liver veins through the jugular vein in the neck. It carries a lower risk of bleeding.

How is a Transjugular Liver Biopsy done?

A clinician cleans and numbs the skin of your neck. Through a pinhole in the skin of your neck, they pass skinny instruments from the vein in the neck down into the vein in the liver. Their instruments can take a biopsy of your liver from inside the vein. After the procedure, they remove their instruments and apply a bandage.

Transjugular Liver Biopsy Procedure

1. The clinician numbs the skin of the neck.

2. They pass skinny instruments through the neck vein and into the liver to take samples.

3. After, they remove the instruments and put a bandage over the pinhole in the skin

What are the risks?

Transjugular biopsy is generally a safe procedure when done by a specialist

6 in 100 people

  • experience minor bleeding

  • develop a reaction to the contrast dye

1 in 200 people

  • experience major bleeding

  • experience abnormal heartbeats

What are the alternatives?

Your options will depend upon your specific health condition and your preferences.

Alternative 1 No procedure. The advantage is that you avoid a procedure. The disadvantage is that your doctor may not be able to figure out what is wrong with your liver. Your doctor may not be able to offer you the correct treatment.

Alternative 2 Biopsy your liver through the skin of the belly. The clinician can numb up the skin of the right upper belly then pass the skinny biopsy instrument directly into the liver. This method has a slightly higher risk of bleeding.