Early discharge after paediatric liver biopsy: A prospective observational study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of early discharge after percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) in children using prospective bleeding risk stratification. METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, paediatric patients scheduled for PLB were stratified into low- and high-risk groups based on bleeding history and laboratory values. Low-risk patients were discharged after 6 h, while high-risk patients were observed for 24 h. Outcomes included bleeding complications, transfusion requirements and readmissions. RESULTS: A total of 167 patients underwent PLB; 119 (71%) were classified as low-risk and 48 (29%) as high-risk. Two minor bleeding events occurred, both in the high-risk group. Only high-risk patients received blood products prior to PLB. CONCLUSION: Pre-procedural risk stratification effectively identifies paediatric patients bleeding risk and eligibility for early discharge after PLB. This approach appears safe and can reduce hospital admission time for low-risk patients.