The purpose of the study is the analysis of liver biopsy performed in patients hospitalized at 3rd Department of Pediatric Diseases of Medical University in Białystok in 1993Ð1998 with particular regard to the assessment of indications and the incidence of complications connected with the procedure. The procedure was conducted on the group of 250 patients aged 1-17 years with the use of Menghini needles. The indications for diagnostic liver puncture included chronic infection with HBV (228 children), chronic infection with HCV (6 children), chronic hypertransaminasemia (13 children), hepatomegaly (2 children) and hyperbilirubinemia (1 child). Complications were observed in 3 patients (1.2%). Blind liver biopsy is an important diagnostic tool in pediatric hepatology but possible occurrence of life-threatening complications suggests that it be used with caution. The paper was presented as a part of hepatological session of XXVI Congress of Polish Pediatricians in Mikołajki on 6-9th June 1999.

Keywords: children, complications, indications, blind liver biopsy