Ultrasound-guided tissue sampling in children in a resource-limited setting: diagnostic yield and complications from Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Ultrasound-guided (US-guided) tissue sampling is an increasingly preferred minimally invasive approach for evaluating pediatric pathologies. However, the diagnostic yield and safety of US-guided tissue sampling in pediatric patients in Ethiopia remain poorly characterized. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of pediatric patients who underwent US-guided tissue sampling from July 2022 to June 2024 at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data on demographics, procedure type, diagnostic yield, and complications were collected. Results A total of 102 US-guided tissue sampling procedures were performed; Core Needle Biopsy (CNB) accounted for 69.6%. The overall diagnostic yield was 93.1%. There was a statistically significant association between procedure type and diagnostic yield, with CNB demonstrating a higher diagnostic yield than Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) (98.6% vs. 80.6%; OR = 16.8, 95% CI 1.93–146.51; p = 0.003). One bleeding complication (0.98%) requiring blood transfusion was recorded. Conclusion US-guided tissue sampling demonstrated a high diagnostic yield and a low complication rate among pediatric patients at TASH. These findings support the use of US-guided tissue sampling in the pediatric population at TASH and suggest its potential for wider application in similar settings in Ethiopia.