Is Aspirin Associated with Bleeding Risk After Percutaneous Core Biopsies?

The extent to which aspirin imparts risk for bleeding complications after percutaneous imaging–guided core needle biopsies is unclear. In this retrospective study, Mayo Clinic researchers analyzed a database with information on aspirin usage just prior to 30,000 percutaneous biopsies performed by radiologists under computed tomography or ultrasound guidance; 26% of patients took aspirin within 10 days of biopsy. The most commonly biopsied organs were kidney (37%), liver (20%), and lung (10%).

Bleeding complications that required transfusion or intervention (radiologic, endoscopic, or surgical) occurred in 98 patients overall (0.3%). However, risk for bleeding complications was 0.6% in 3800 patients who stopped taking aspirin 0 to 3 days befo…