Bile Peritonitis Complicating Needle Biopsy of Liver

ASPIRATION or punch needle biopsy of the liver is a recognized diagnostic procedure. In research in recent years, in an attempt to correlate liver function and histopathology, this method of obtaining biopsy material has become increasingly popular.That the procedure is not without some danger has been recognized by almost all groups, but the complications have been few enough so as not to dishearten the majority. The observation of Kinsell et al.1 that the blind approach to a highly vascular, bile-secreting, intraperitoneal organ can never be devoid of risk is indeed candid. Some groups, such as Mateer and his associates, . . .