“Do you need general anesthesia for a liver biopsy?”
I will have a liver biopsy. Do you need general anesthesia for a liver biopsy?
7 Answers
AnesthesiologistAnesthesiologist
You will receive a local anesthetic at the biopsy site. Sometimes, general anesthesia depending on the type of lesion.
No
Never
No, only local anesthesia is used, generally
Yes.
No, but are you sure you want a biopsy? it is not without risk.
Hello, excellent question. This depends on the location of the liver lesion. If the target is superficial, oftentimes an Interventional Radiologist can access it through your skin using a needle, after numbing the area with a local anesthetic. This does not require general anesthesia. However, if the lesion is deep, and requires surgical biopsy, you will need to have general anesthesia. I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!
