Liver biopsy in sheep

Modification to needle aspiration technique

Abstract

Liver biopsy is a valuable tool in clinical diagnosis as it can give information about structure and composition of liver tissue. In this work a modification of the liver puncture biopsy is presented. Samples were obtained from adult sheep (n=20) at days 70, 100, 130 Y 140 of gestation and 60 days after parturition. A 74 mm needle of 3 mm diameter used for sheep ruminal puncture was inserted in the skin and over the abdominal wall. Tissue samples were taken with another needle of 160 mm length and 1,8 mm diameter passing through the first one. Size, weight, and number of acinus observed on each sample ranged between required standards for hepatologic diagnosis. The described technique proved to be a safe, precise, practical and a low costing method to be used under field conditions.