The first tip I will give you is not to listen to any horror stories about a liver biopsy! I came home today after having one yesterday afternoon at 2pm.
The one thing I regret doing is reading about other peoples bad experiences with a liver biopsy and letting it worry me... it's not as bad as you think... honestly!
I felt sick with worry up until the point of having it done... the nurse wheeled my bed into the x-ray room and basically ran through with me what would happen during the biopsy and she said that I shouldn't feel a thing, just a little pressure.
Next thing the Doc walked in looking all official etc, etc, and helped ease all my worries about the biop. He asked me to sign some consent forms which I did. He sat down and put some very cold jelly-like liquid on the end of a rollerball thing and did an ultrasound around my liver (on my right side) and then my spleen (my left side). He informed me that the layer of fat he was going to be cutting through was only about 1cm thick and then the liver is right after that so it's not as deep as you may think!
Next he said that I could have a light sedative but he said he didn't really think I needed it because I didn't look that anxious (although I felt anxious!) so I decided not to have a sedative. Next he marked the entry spot with a pen and layed a blue cloth with a big hole in it over the entry spot. Then he inserted the needle which basically was a short, sharp scratch... nothing painful. The worst bit of pain I felt throughout the whole biopsy (which wasn't even that bad) was the anesthetic going into my system (a bit like a very long lasting bee sting) He then put a second dose of anesthetic in my side. Next I felt a little sharp feeling and a bit of pressure which was the Doc making a small incision and then putting the plastic tube in through which he imnserted a spring-loaded needle. Next I heard a loud click (the first sample of liver was taken) and then a second click (the second sample of liver was taken) and nothing was felt during the clicks. Then that was it... all done! He applied a gauze strip (like a giant white plaster) and then I was wheeled out.
The Doc was very good and talked/re-assured me through the whole thing and it was fine... I would even go as far as saying that I would have it done it again... but only if I really had to!
Straight after I felt a deep pain around my liver and my lower back when I breathed in but that got better once I was back on the ward and given 2 paracetemol. That was the only dose of pain-killers I took and once the anesthetic wore off I just felt a slight pain in my side but that was really only when I layed directly on it.
I had a lay flat for 4 hours and then my head was elevated slighly for the next two hours after that... and then (hip-hip-horray) I was allowed to go to the toilet at long last!! My blood pressure, temperature and vitals were taken every 15 mins then slowed to every 30 minutes untill the 6 hours of rest were up.
Sorry for the very detailed explanation but I know that I would have loved to have read something like this before I had my liver biopsy done. I just want to re-assure those of you that are going to have a liver biopsy that it really won't be as bad as what you might think!
Good Luck All xx