Safety of 1-h discharge after percutaneous liver biopsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Percutaneous liver biopsy remains a critical diagnostic tool in hepatology. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the safety of a 1-h discharge protocol following the procedure. Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed and the Cochrane Library from inception to August 2024, focusing on studies reporting 1-h discharge following percutaneous liver biopsy. The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of major complications, categorized according to the society of interventional radiology criteria. The data were analyzed using RStudio (version 2023.09.0), and the study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Six cohort studies were included, encompassing 2,621 patients. The studies were of moderate quality, largely due to the lack of randomized control groups. Patient ages ranged from 18 to 77 years, and those with contraindications, such as coagulopathy, were excluded from the study. The meta-analysis revealed a pooled incidence of major complications of 0.48% (95% confidence interval: 0.22–0.75%), with most adverse events occurring within the 1 st h after biopsy. Minor complications, notably pain, are commonly reported but are effectively managed without prolonged observation. Conclusion: One-hour discharge following a percutaneous liver biopsy is safe, particularly when performed under ultrasound guidance and with selective patient criteria. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm broader applicability and validate these findings.