Retrospective evaluation of routine in-hospital observation in 433 patients after CT-guided biopsies

BACKGROUND
After computed tomography (CT)-guided interventions, routine in-hospital observation is recommended by the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe.

PURPOSE
To evaluate the frequency of delayed major complications or hospitalizations after CT-guided biopsies in patients with initially no or minor complications and to assess whether routine in-hospital observation is justified.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
This retrospective study included 433 outpatients after CT-guided biopsy of the thoracic (n = 176), abdominal (n = 129), or musculoskeletal (n = 128) region with subsequent in-hospital observation. Complications were graded according to the current Society of Interventional Radiology recommendations and grouped into minor or major. A complication that occurred during in-hospital observation was defined as delayed complication. A delayed major complication was a newly developed major complication or a progression from an initially minor to a major complication. Hospitalization frequencies were evaluated similarly. Occurrence, 95% confidence intervals (CI), and values for significant differences between the three organ groups were calculated. If delayed major complications were more frequent than 1%, routine in-hospital observation was considered justified.

RESULTS
Delayed, major complication frequencies were: thoracic, 8.2% (95% CI 4.6-13.4); abdominal, 0.0% (95% CI 0.0-2.9); and musculoskeletal, 0.0% (95% CI 0.0-2.9) ( < 0.001). Delayed hospitalization frequencies were: thoracic, 8.8% (95% CI 5.0-14.2); abdominal, 1.6% (95% CI 0.2-5.6); and musculoskeletal, 0.0% (95% CI 0.0-2.9) ( < 0.001).