Kidney Biopsy Done

Yesterday Doug had his kidney biopsy in Denver. The procedure went well but it was a very long day. Three hours drive to PSL, check in at noon as scheduled. We got up to the prep room by 12:30 and IV was started and all the usual questions explanations and paperwork. The nurse asked him when he had his kidney transplant; he has not had a kidney transplant! The question was repeated throughout the day by various medical staff. Turns out that most kidney biopsies are done on transplanted kidneys, to see if the kidney tissue is still healthy.  A kidney that is the patient's own is called a "native" kidney in medical lingo. Doug told them his are "owner-operated".  He always finds a way to get the nurses laughing.

The biopsy was supposed to start at 2:00 in Radiology. The interventional radiologist does the kidney biopsies - usually with ultrasound guidance. They were running late; Mondays are busy anyway, and they had several add-on cases that got sandwiched in. Doug did not get taken down to radiology until 3:45, and then more waiting there. A nurse came in and explained how it would go, apologized for the lateness, then the interventional radiologist came and introduced himself and took a brief history. A few minutes later the nurse came back and took Doug, saying that the doc had decided to use the CT scanner for guidance instead of ultrasound. I never did find out the reason for that.

The biopsy procedure took about 45 minutes. The pathologist was there to look at the samples before the needle was removed from the kidney. This is not to make a diagnosis, but to ensure the tissue samples are good enough to work with.

I was not allowed to watch, dang it. Strict hospital policy. I am retired from radiology and radiation oncology, so I know the rule. I really appreciate being allowed to stay for the bone marrow biopsies, but that is in a different part of the hospital and by the CBCI people. (Colorado Blood Cancer Institute) CBCI understands it is not only the patient but also the caregiver they are dealing with.

Afterward Doug was taken back up to the prep room. We had been told the kidney biopsy patients are monitored for two hours before discharge. This is to make sure there is no bleeding from the biopsy site. Well the nurse read the orders and found the doc ordered a three hour monitoring period.  I suspect the doc had to muck around a little more than usual - but I don't really know. This caused a minor flurry because it was already late; two nurses ended up working overtime. Doug had to lay flat on his back on a folded towel to put pressure on the biopsy site, for two hours. Then he was allowed to get up and walk around a couple of minutes and go pee; the nurse checked and no bleeding at the site or in the urine, yea. Then another hour of lying flat before he was finally discharged. It was 7:30 p.m. by this point.

Doug and I had talked about staying in Denver if it got to be too late. Once we knew everything was delayed, I made a hotel reservation. I knew I was too tired to drive the three hours home in the dark. We were able to get a room in a hotel that gives a hospital discount, and it was in an area I am familiar with - that was a real blessing.  No driving around in the dark trying to find an unfamiliar place.

Doug has a small gauze bandage on the left side of his back. He feels good and says he has only very slight soreness. The sedation was the same versed and fentanyl sedation that is used for the bone marrow biopsies, so he has no memory of the biopsy. We are very thankful the procedure went well.  We were told it takes 48 hours to get the pathology report. I know our myeloma specialist will need to look it over and come to a decision on treatment before we get a call. We are hoping to hear something by Friday but not holding our breath.

The road ahead on our myeloma journey is about to take a turn. Just can't see around the bend.