Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of the stereotactic brain biopsies performed in the Neurosurgery Department of the São João Hospital in order to diagnose intracerebral damage and to determine the existence of post-biopsy haemorrhage.
Methods: The authors evaluated 80 consecutive cases of patients submitted to a stereotactic brain biopsy. 63 of them had a control CT-scan from 4 to 6 hours after the proceeding.
Results: Stereotactic biopsy yield a conclusive diagnosis in 75 of the 80 patients which corresponds to 93.7% of the cases. Inconclusive results occurred in 5 patients (6.25%). Significant morbidity occurred in 4 cases (5%) and there was no mortality. Control CT-scan revealed no alterations in 25 patients and vestigial haemorrhage in 27. In the remaining 11 the haemorrhage was of little significance.
Conclusions: Stereotactic biopsy is a safe and effective method to diagnose brain lesions. The realization of a control CT-scan within few hours after biopsy allows the identification of a sub-group of patients without intracerebral haemorrhage that may be discharged from hospital on the same day.