The thin musculature and relatively small kidneys of infants and young children do not readily accommodate the rather heavy percutaneous renal biopsy needle with its large, projecting, cutting blades, which has been used with relative safety and success in adults. For use in children, the reduction in length of the adult-type needle usually is accomplished by shortening the length of the shaft. This is done by removing a segment at the end opposite to the cutting blades, without diminishing the projection of these blades. The weight of the Franklin-Silverman small version, commercially available, is about 17 gm. The cutting blades project about 22 mm.
