• ⦿ Renal biopsy — to diagnose a suspected kidney problem. It may also be used to see how serious a kidney condition is, or to monitor treatment for kidney disease. You may also need a kidney biopsy if you've had a kidney transplant that's not working properly.
• ⦿ Most often, a doctor performs a kidney biopsy by inserting a thin needle through the skin. This is called a percutaneous kidney biopsy. An imaging device helps the doctor guide the needle into the kidney to remove tissue.

A kidney biopsy may be done to:

• ⦿ Diagnose a kidney problem that can't otherwise be identified
• ⦿ Help develop treatment plans based on the kidney's condition
• ⦿ Determine how quickly kidney disease is progressing
• ⦿ Determine the extent of damage from kidney disease or another disease
• ⦿ Evaluate how well treatment for kidney disease is working
• ⦿ Monitor the health of a transplanted kidney or find out why a transplanted kidney isn't working properly

Your doctor may recommend a kidney biopsy based on the results of blood or urine tests that show:

• ⦿ Blood in the urine originating from the kidney
• ⦿Protein in the urine (proteinuria) that's excessive, rising or accompanied by other signs of kidney disease
• ⦿ Problems with kidney function, leading to excessive waste products in the blood

In general, percutaneous kidney biopsy is a safe procedure. Possible risks include:

• ⦿ Bleeding. The most common complication of a kidney biopsy is blood in the urine. The bleeding usually stops within a few days. Bleeding that's serious enough to require a blood transfusion affects a very small percentage of people who have a kidney biopsy. Rarely, surgery is needed to control bleeding.
• ⦿ Pain. Pain at the biopsy site is common after a kidney biopsy, but it usually lasts only a few hours.
• ⦿ Arteriovenous fistula. If the biopsy needle accidentally damages the walls of a nearby artery and vein, an abnormal connection (fistula) can form between the two blood vessels. This type of fistula usually causes no symptoms and closes on its own.
• ⦿ Others. Rarely, a collection of blood (hematoma) around the kidney becomes infected. This complication is treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage. Another uncommon risk is development of high blood pressure related to a large hematoma

Medications: Your doctor or nurse will let you know when to stop taking these medications and supplements, and for how long. Often, these medications are stopped seven days before the procedure and then started again seven days after the procedure.

Blood and urine samples: Before your biopsy, you'll have blood drawn and provide a urine sample to make sure you don't have an infection or another condition that would make the biopsy risky.

Diet: You may be asked not to drink or eat for eight hours before the kidney biopsy.