Biopsies are usually straightforward and carried out as outpatient procedures using local anaesthetic. In such cases, you won't need to stay in hospital overnight.
However, some types of biopsy, such as those that involve taking a tissue sample from an internal organ, will require a general anaesthetic, which means you may need to stay in hospital overnight.
After having a biopsy, you won't usually feel any pain. However, if you've had a tissue sample taken from a major organ, such as your liver or from your bone marrow, you may feel a dull ache or a slight discomfort. Your doctor or surgeon will be able to advise you about the painkillers that you can take to help relieve this.
If an incision (cut) is required to remove a tissue sample – e.g. during an endoscopic biopsy or an excisional biopsy – the wound may need to be closed using stitches, or a dressing may need to be put on the wound.
If tissue is removed from an internal organ such as your liver or kidneys, you'll need to stay in hospital for a few hours after the procedure. This is so that you can rest and hospital staff can ensure that there's no internal bleeding. It's rare for serious bleeding to occur following a biopsy but if it does, you may need to have an operation or a blood transfusion.
Women who have had samples taken from their reproductive system, such as the lining of the neck of the womb (cervix), may have some light vaginal bleeding for a short while. Men who have had a prostate biopsy may have blood in their urine temporarily.
