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Kidney Biopsy Complication

Transplants | Last Active: Aug 21, 2023 | Replies (21)

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@rosemarya

I've only had the protocol Post Kidney Biopsies. I think mine were years 1,3,5,10. This might be different now, but that was my only experience with kidney biopsy, This conversation caught my interest and I was curious about the information that @tjdog shared. So I did a quick investigation and this is what I found and want to add to this conversation. I was happy to see this because I am past the 10 year protocol, and was wondering "what if...?"

There is a different purpose in Prospera and kidney biopsy.
- Prospera™ ( link shared above by @tjdog) is for Kidney Transplant Assessment. It is covered by Medicare. It is a transplant rejection assessment test that uses a simple blood draw to evaluate the risk of rejection of a transplanted kidney.

- Kidney Biopsy - from the Mayo Clinic Health Library Tests and procedures.
A kidney biopsy is performed to diagnose, help develop treatment, check progression and extent of damage, evaluate if treatment is working. and "Monitor the health of a transplanted kidney or find out why a transplanted kidney isn't working properly".
@hello1234, In the section on Risks, I read this and thought of you. "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."
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https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/kidney-biopsy/about/pac-20394494
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I also want to tag - @gingerw, @jennifer0726

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Replies to "I've only had the protocol Post Kidney Biopsies. I think mine were years 1,3,5,10. This might..."

@rosemarya 😊
Thank you for the excellent information! When I was initially told that the biopsy caused an av fistula within the kidney, I was comforted to hear that it normally causes no symptoms and normally closes in 2 years by itself.
Unfortunately, my av fistula is now starting to cause the kidney function to decrease and also now appears to be getting larger. It will need embolization.
I am excited to hear that there is now a non-invasive blood test available to assess rejection. Moving forward, that will be a terrific diagnostic tool!
Thank you again for doing all that research Rosemary.... Very helpful!

@rosemarya My husband was taking part in the trials that were developing protocol for those blood tests to catch early signs of rejection in the transplanted kidney. Like @caretakermom mentioned, they sent out a nurse to our house to do the blood draw several times. His nephrologist had signed him up for the trial. He will celebrate 7 years this Oct 1 with his new kidney, and had had no issues.
Ginger