Problem

Biopsies lead to two worrisome complications, bleeding and seeding. Bleeding is commonly encountered with nearly all types of biopsies. Bleeding is the most common cause of death post-biopsy. Tumor seeding is when cancerous cells are dislodged and spread along the tract as the needle or cannula is withdrawn. Therefore, tumor seeding can cause metastasis in the patient. 

 PROBLEM OF TUMOR SEEDING

This patient had liver cancer and received a core-needle biopsy through the tract shown in the before image. The location of the cancer is shown 4 weeks after the biopsy. The after image shows the spread of the liver cancer 8 weeks after the biopsy. The liver cancer spread through the tract, this was a case of tumor seeding. 

Problem of tumor seeding

This patient had bile duct cancer and received a biopsy through the tract shown in the before image by the vertical red arrow. The location of the cancer is shown as well. The after image shows the spread of cancer to the adjacent body wall approximately 4 months after biopsy. The bile duct cancer spread through the tract, this was another case of tumor seeding. 

problem of bleeding

This patient had a kidney biopsy. The image shows bleeding that occurred post-biopsy in the right kidney as shown by the red arrow.