Solid Organ Biopsies

While solid organ biopsies are routinely done on adults with only local anesthesia or minimal sedation, children frequently require deep sedation or general anesthesia to achieve acceptable conditions (stillness, anxiolysis, analgesia) to facilitate these procedures. This is more frequently being done with pediatric sedation/anesthesia outside the operating room. Issues unique to sedation for these procedures are pain, the need for relative patient immobility (both during the procedure and following it), and the nonstandard positioning required during the procedure. Regardless of the medications chosen, adequate monitoring should occur during the procedure as well as during the recovery period. With a good sedation plan for both sedation and analgesia, adequate monitoring, and contingency planning for adverse events, this can safely be performed in institutions with highly motivated and organized sedation services.