◈ Homepage — http://ebnmg.org/Your trusted partner in Kidney Care. Always by your side Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Search Call Us Patient Portal HOME ABOUT US SERVICES FOR PATIENTS REFERRING PROVIDERS RESOURCES APPOINTMENTS Quality, Personalized and Compassionate Care is our top priority. Patient Portal Appointment Our Mission To enhance the well-being of our patients through compassionate, collaborative, and state of the art kidney care. Our Vision To be the Premier Nephrology group of Northern California. Our Values Medical Excellence. Continued Education and being on the cutting edge of kidney care. Compassionate Care and respect for our patients. No Discrimination. We believe that we have an obligation to serve the diverse community in which we live. About Us Established in 1972, our practice offers a wide range of in-office services at a number of convenient office locations including northen Alameda County, western Contra Costa County and southern Solano County. We work with the Kidney Transplant Programs at CPMC, UCSF, Stanford and UC Davis. Read More EBNMG Kidney Physicians East Bay Nephrology Medical Group (EBNMG) is one of the largest groups of kidney physicians in Northern California. Since 1972, it has gained the respect of the community and referring physicians. 0 Leadership Find out more » 0 Providers Find out more » 0 Mid-Level Providers Find out more » 0 Our Initiatives Find out more » Celebrating 50 Years of medical excellence at East Bay Nephrology 1972 to 2022 Blogs How much water should I drink? One of the most common questions I am asked, both by patients and... Learn more Living with Kidney Disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the rise and it has become a ... Learn more When to Refer to Nephrology All patients with calculated GFR < 60 and concomitant proteinuria... Learn more New Hope for Your Kidneys: The "Smart" Meds of 202... If you feel like the news about kidney disease is finally moving... Learn more Taking Charge of Your Kidney Health: How to Slow D... How to Slow Down CKD... Learn more What would you do if you had kidney failure? I have not personally experienced kidney failure before, but... Learn more Mindfulness 101: Your Superpower for a Calm Brain! Do you ever feel like your brain is super busy?... Learn more The Dawn of Personalized Kidney Care – Tailoring... Kidney disease affects millions worldwide, often progressing... Learn more Your Kidneys: Small Organs, Huge Impact Ever thought about your kidneys? Probably not! But these little... Learn more Tunneled Dialysis Catheters: A Temporary Solution A tunneled dialysis catheter is a thin, flexible tube placed... Learn more Reducing Hospitalizations as a Kidney Patient As a kidney patient, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations is ... Learn more Living Kidney Donation: A Gift of Life in Californ... While waiting for a deceased donor kidney can be a long process... Learn more Navigating the Journey: Kidney Transplant in Calif... Kidney disease can be a daunting challenge, but with advancements... Learn more Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease Diabetic kidney disease is a serious complication of diabetes... Learn more Taking Charge of Your Health: Why Patient Activati... In today's healthcare landscape, where information is abundant... Learn more I was discharged with diagnosis of heart failure, ... I was discharged with diagnosis of heart failure. Now What?... Learn more All About Blood Pressure What is Blood Pressure? It is the force of blood pushing against the walls... Learn more Coping with Chronic Conditions Harvard Health Publishing provides 10 steps for coping with a chronic... Learn more Prevent or Reduce Problems Associated with My Heal... Many health problems are caused by key risk factors, like poor ... Learn more Managing Chronic Kidney Disease-How Can I Help? Having chronic kidney disease (CKD) means your kidneys are not... Learn more Diabetes and Kidney Disease Having high blood sugars all the time can cause a disease called Diabetes... Learn more Getting To Know Your Medicines - Phosphate Binders Phosphate is a mineral in the body used to form bone and teeth... Learn more Getting to Know Your Medicines. There are many kinds of medicines available to bring down your blood... Learn more How Can I Be More Engaged in My Healthcare? To get a good quality healthcare, kidney patients and their advocates... Learn more How to find a living kidney donor? Many don't know where to begin looking for a living kidney donor... Learn more Value-based care is here A simple and bold idea of improving healthcare for patients is value-based care... Learn more What is the Value Based Care Model for kidney pati... East Bay Nephrology Medical Group participates in Medicare Value Based Care... Learn more How do I get engaged as a kidney patient? It is necessary to integrate the patient's point of view in the health... Learn more SGLT2 inhibitors - What are they and do I need ? Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) is a channel in the kidney... Learn more What is a glomerular disease, and how do I know I ... Kidneys have about one million tiny filter units called nephrons. Each nephron... Learn more Looking for a Kidney Donor? When you have advanced kidney failure one of the treatment options... Learn more Which Vaccinations are Needed with Kidney Disease? Your primary care provider is the best person to ask about which vaccinations... Learn more Ten Ways to Cut Out Salt Low salt or sodium intake reduces blood pressure and with improves... Learn more Why Choose Home Dialysis? Did you know that 93% of Nephrologists and 89% of nurses will... Learn more How long can dialysis continue? The simple answer would be as long as you live and willing to ... Learn more Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a common medical problem in ... Learn more Limit food if you're on Dialysis or late stage Kid... When you are on dialysis your diet is restricted, as certain food... Learn more Learn more about Potassium Potassium is one of the minerals in the body. Most of the... Learn more What is involved in a Kidney Biopsy? A kidney biopsy is done to remove a small piece of kidney tissue ... Learn more Vitamin D and Chronic Kidney Disease Vitamin D is a common supplement and many people incorporate it ... Learn more What is Home Hemodialysis? If your kidneys have started to fail, your kidney doctor will ... Learn more What is Peritoneal Dialysis and How Does it Work? To replace the kidney function of getting rid of waste products ... Learn more How do I get started with Advance Care Planning? Planning for the future can be challenging, especially if it is ... Learn more Planning for your future care in advance One thing is for sure, we are all aging. Even if you are not ... Learn more What Can A Dialysis Patient Do To Reduce Chances O... Infections are one of the leading causes of hospitalizations, ... Learn more Taking Care of your Dialysis Access To get hemodialysis we need a way to repeatedly reach your blood ... Learn more Dialysis Access Q&A Your access is your dialysis lifeline. You have only a few sites ... Learn more How much protein should I eat? The current recommendation for protein intake in healthy adults ... Learn more How much water should I drink? One of the most common questions I am asked, both by patients and... Learn more Living with Kidney Disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the rise and it has become a ... Learn more When to Refer to Nephrology All patients with calculated GFR < 60 and concomitant proteinuria... Learn more New Hope for Your Kidneys: The "Smart" Meds of 202... If you feel like the news about kidney disease is finally moving... Learn more Taking Charge of Your Kidney Health: How to Slow D... How to Slow Down CKD... Learn more What would you do if you had kidney failure? I have not personally experienced kidney failure before, but... Learn more Sign Up your patient portal. Manage your healthcare online anywhere. Learn More Empower Kidney Health Est. 2021 Learn More Visit our blog to find new information about kidney disease and treatment. Learn More Check our initiatives We are committed to improving CKD and ESRD care for our patients. Learn More Integrated Kidney care of Northern Calfornia. Learn More We have six locations in the Bay Area so you can easily find a location near you. Learn More From treatment to dialysis to transplant services, we offer variety of services. Learn More Meet our Staff - we all specialize in nephrology and are here to help you. Learn More MedChefs is the bridge between healthcare providers and their patients. Learn More Services Our fully trained specialists are ready to assist you with any kidney related conditions in the office, at the hospital or in the emergency room. Dialysis Services Value Based Care Nutrition Services Physician Services Dialysis Access Care Kidney Disease Services Kidney Disease Education Kidney Transplant Services East Bay Nephrology Medical Group EBNMG is a professional medical corporation consisting of nephrologists, mid-level providers, dietitians, back-office team, care coordinators and medical assistants. Other vital staff also include Chief Administrative Officer - Brett Wiley, and qualified business team members. Leadership EBNMG is a professional medical corporation consisting of qualified professional leaders in the organization including Chief Administrative Officer - Brett Wiley, and governing board members. Rica Pagtalunan, MD President of the Board Oliver Khakmahd, MD Member of the Board Samuel Wong, DO Member of the Board John Baron, DO, MBA Member of the Board Mr. Brett Wiley Chief Administrative Officer Rica Pagtalunan, MD President of the Board Oliver Khakmahd, MD Member of the Board Samuel Wong, DO Member of the Board John Baron, DO, MBA Member of the Board Mr. Brett Wiley Chief Administrative Officer Rica Pagtalunan, MD President of the Board Oliver Khakmahd, MD Member of the Board Samuel Wong, DO Member of the Board Providers EBNMG is a professional medical corporation consisting of nephrologists, mid-level providers, medical assistants and qualified and credentialed administrative team. Monte Wu MD, MBA Xixi Zhao MD, FASN (Part-Time) Jean Claude Bassila MD (Part-Time) William Muldowney MD (Part-Time) John Baron DO, MBA Mario Corona MD (Semi-Retired) Robert Doud MD (Semi-Retired) Claudia Iota-Herbei MD Oliver Khakmahd MD Yu-Chi Lapid MD Terina Miller MD John Mouratoff MD Rica Pagtalunan MD Swati Patel MD (Semi-Retired) Denise Ricker MD (Semi-Retired) Vikram Suri MD, PhD Bryan Wong MD (Semi-Retired) Samuel Wong DO Monte Wu MD, MBA Xixi Zhao MD, FASN (Part-Time) Jean Claude Bassila MD (Part-Time) William Muldowney MD (Part-Time) John Baron DO, MBA Mario Corona MD (Semi-Retired) Robert Doud MD (Semi-Retired) Claudia Iota-Herbei MD Mid-Level Providers EBNMG is a professional medical corporation consisting of qualified professional mid-level providers in the organization. Jessica Ruano MSN, FNP-C Betty Melchor DNP, APRN, FNP-BC Akosua Appea MSN, APRN, FNP-C Lauren Riele PAC Navpreet Aujla PAC Nadi Sarnevesht PAC Smita Gyawali PAC Jessica Ruano MSN, FNP-C Betty Melchor DNP, APRN, FNP-BC Akosua Appea MSN, APRN, FNP-C Lauren Riele PAC Navpreet Aujla PAC Nadi Sarnevesht PAC Smita Gyawali PAC Jessica Ruano MSN, FNP-C Contact Don't hesitate to reach out to see how East Bay Nephrology Medical Group can be of service to you. Our Address East Bay Nephrology Medical Group 2905 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94705 Email Us [email protected] Call Us (510) 841-4525 Request an Appointment To request an appointment, simply call us or fax us the referral form at: (510) 848-9970 Requesting Physician Information Patient Information Select Gender Male Female Transgender Appointment Request Select Preferred Office Location Berkeley Napa Oakland San Pablo El Cerrito Vallejo Select Preferred Physician * John Baron Claudia Iota-Herbei Oliver Khakmahd Terina Miller John Mouratoff Rica Pagtalunan Swati Patel Vikram Suri Bryan Wong Samuel Wong Monte Wu Yu-chi Lapid First Available Physician Select Urgency Next Available Urgent ( < 2 Business Days ) Within 2 Weeks Select Reason for Referral Proteinuria Hematuria Hypertension Kidney Stone Kidney Transplant Other- specify Submit EBNMG East Bay Nephrology Medical Group 2905 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94705 Phone: (510) 841-4525 Email: [email protected] Useful Links Home About us Services Referring Providers Resources Our Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services © Copyright EBNMG. All Rights Reserved ◈ Interior Pages — 3 pages crawledHealth Blog :: Your Kidneys: Small Organs, Huge Impact Your trusted partner in Kidney Care. Always by your side Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Search Call Us Patient Portal Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Call Us Patient Portal Search Home About Us About EBNMG Meet Our Leadership Meet Our Providers Meet Our Mid-Level Providers Our Initiatives Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Disease Education Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services Value Based Care For Patients Health Library Request an Appoinment Patient Portal New Patient Package Patient Forms Open Payments Notice Insurance Plans Office Locations Hospitals Served Dialysis Units Served Prescription Policy Request Medical Records Referring Providers Why Choose EBN We Specialize in Refer A Patient Insurance Plans Request Medical Records Hospital Consult Request Resources Links Health Blog Video Links Office Locations Appointments Office Appointments Dialysis Program DAC Oakland EBNMG Followup DAC Followup KDE Appointment VSee Clinic for iPhone VSee Clinic for Android MENU Home Resources Health Blog Links Video Links Office Locations Prev Article Next Article Health Blog :: Your Kidneys: Small Organs, Huge Impact January 18, 2025 Ever thought about your kidneys? Probably not! But these little bean-shaped organs are the size of your fists and absolute workhorses, filtering your blood, balancing fluids, and even making hormones. What is Kidney Disease? Kidney disease basically means your kidneys aren&#39;t functioning as well as they should. This can happen gradually, and often without any noticeable symptoms at first. Why Does it Happen? Diabetes: High blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys. High Blood Pressure: Consistently high blood pressure puts extra strain on your kidneys. Glomerulonephritis: Inflammation of the tiny filters in your kidneys. Polycystic Kidney Disease: A genetic condition where cysts grow on the kidneys. Can I Slow it Down? The good news is that you can definitely slow down the progression of kidney disease! Here are some key things you can do: Control Your Blood Sugar: If you have diabetes, working with your doctor to keep your blood sugar levels in check is crucial. Manage Your Blood Pressure: Eat a healthy diet: Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit processed foods, salt, and saturated fat. Get regular exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Maintain a healthy weight: Even a small weight loss can significantly lower your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about medications: If necessary, your doctor can prescribe medications to help lower your blood pressure. Limit Protein Intake: In some cases, your doctor may recommend limiting your protein intake to reduce the workload on your kidneys. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to help flush out waste products. Stop Smoking: Smoking significantly increases the risk of kidney damage. Limit Alcohol Consumption: Excessive alcohol intake can also harm your kidneys. Talk to Your Doctor If you&#39;re concerned about your kidney health, or if you have any risk factors (like diabetes or high blood pressure), talk to your doctor. Early detection and treatment can make a huge difference in slowing down the progression of kidney disease and improving your overall health. Back --> Back to Health Blog Prev Article Next Article EBNMG East Bay Nephrology Medical Group 2905 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94705 Phone: (510) 841-4525 Email: [email protected] Useful Links Home About us Services Referring Providers Resources Our Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services &copy; Copyright EBNMG . All Rights Reserved Servusys --> &times; Napa Vallejo Oakland Berkeley El Cerrito San Pablo Health Blog :: Ten Ways to Cut Out Salt Your trusted partner in Kidney Care. Always by your side Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Search Call Us Patient Portal Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Call Us Patient Portal Search Home About Us About EBNMG Meet Our Leadership Meet Our Providers Meet Our Mid-Level Providers Our Initiatives Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Disease Education Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services Value Based Care For Patients Health Library Request an Appoinment Patient Portal New Patient Package Patient Forms Open Payments Notice Insurance Plans Office Locations Hospitals Served Dialysis Units Served Prescription Policy Request Medical Records Referring Providers Why Choose EBN We Specialize in Refer A Patient Insurance Plans Request Medical Records Hospital Consult Request Resources Links Health Blog Video Links Office Locations Appointments Office Appointments Dialysis Program DAC Oakland EBNMG Followup DAC Followup KDE Appointment VSee Clinic for iPhone VSee Clinic for Android MENU Home Resources Health Blog Links Video Links Office Locations Prev Article Next Article Health Blog :: Ten Ways to Cut Out Salt January 18, 2021 Low salt or sodium intake reduces blood pressure and with improves cardiovascular outcomes in those with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD) with less heart attacks, heart failure or strokes. Patients with CKD are often salt sensitive and unable to control blood pressure and/or swelling when there is &nbsp;a high salt intake. Therefore, patients with diabetes and CKD could benefit from restricting salt intake in their diet. Further, lowering salt improves volume status and swelling of the patient along with reducing protein leakage in the urine that damages the kidneys over time. Research have also shown that sodium restriction might enhance the effects of water pills or diuretics like furosemide, and blood pressure medications like losartan and lisinopril, in patients with kidney disease. Thus, most well-informed patients would choose to restrict sodium intake to less than 2 grams per day. Patients who are more interested in a small reduction in blood pressure and/or a lower number of antihypertensive medications (potentially reducing costs and the risk of side effects) will be more inclined to follow this recommendation. Those who are less interested in these potential benefits may have more difficulty in making the requisite dietary changes, and those who find food markedly less palatable after sodium restriction may be less inclined to follow the recommendation. If you have difficulty with restricting the salt in your diet, here are 10 ways you can use to cut out excess salt from your diet.&nbsp; 1.&nbsp; Shop for and buy fresh foods and vegetables and cook at home with less salt. Avoid frozen or canned foods.&nbsp; 2.&nbsp; Use salt-free spices and fresh herbs to add flavor to the food.&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; Read the food labels: choose lower salt brands whenever possible. The goal is to consume less than 2 grams or 2000 milligrams of salt per day. Everything adds up.&nbsp; 4. &nbsp;Avoid foods with more than 400 milligrams of salt per serving. You can find that on the label.&nbsp; 5.&nbsp; Avoid salty processed meats like pork slices or turkey slices. Use fresh meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Or even better, plant-based proteins, like beans and unsalted nuts and legumes, instead. 6.&nbsp; Use sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy or hot flavors to season food instead of salt.&nbsp; 7.&nbsp; Use unsalted butter, unsalted margarine, cooking oil, or other unsalted fats when frying or cooking.&nbsp; 8.&nbsp; Cut out salty sauces like soy sauce. Instead, replace it with lime juice, pineapple juice or unseasoned rice vinegar.&nbsp; 9. Keep healthy, unsalted snacks on hand like fresh fruits or cut out vegetables to snack on.&nbsp; 10.&nbsp; When eating out in restaurants, ask the chef to prepare you a low salt version of the food, or order dressings, sauces, and gravies in a separate dish on the side and use less of it. Back --> Back to Health Blog Prev Article Next Article EBNMG East Bay Nephrology Medical Group 2905 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94705 Phone: (510) 841-4525 Email: [email protected] Useful Links Home About us Services Referring Providers Resources Our Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services &copy; Copyright EBNMG . All Rights Reserved Servusys --> &times; Napa Vallejo Oakland Berkeley El Cerrito San Pablo Health Blog :: What is involved in a Kidney Biopsy? Your trusted partner in Kidney Care. Always by your side Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Search Call Us Patient Portal Berkeley El Cerrito Oakland Vallejo San Pablo Napa Locations Call Us Call Us Patient Portal Search Home About Us About EBNMG Meet Our Leadership Meet Our Providers Meet Our Mid-Level Providers Our Initiatives Services Physician Services Kidney Disease Services Kidney Disease Education Kidney Transplant Services Dialysis Services Dialysis Access Care Nutrition Services Value Based Care For Patients Health Library Request an Appoinment Patient Portal New Patient Package Patient Forms Open Payments Notice Insurance Plans Office Locations Hospitals Served Dialysis Units Served Prescription Policy Request Medical Records Referring Providers Why Choose EBN We Specialize in Refer A Patient Insurance Plans Request Medical Records Hospital Consult Request Resources Links Health Blog Video Links Office Locations Appointments Office Appointments Dialysis Program DAC Oakland EBNMG Followup DAC Followup KDE Appointment VSee Clinic for iPhone VSee Clinic for Android MENU Home Resources Health Blog Links Video Links Office Locations Prev Article Next Article Health Blog :: What is involved in a Kidney Biopsy? November 30, 2016 A kidney biopsy is done to remove a small piece of kidney tissue to examine under a microscope to find out what is causing the kidney disease and its severity so appropriate treatment plans are chosen by your kidney doctor. Most often this is done under direct picturing and guidance of an ultrasound or CT scan by inserting a thin needle through the skin of the back to the kidney for obtaining a small sample tissue. Why it&#39;s done A kidney biopsy may be done to: Diagnose a kidney disease that can&#39;t otherwise be identified by history and blood tests Help develop treatment plans and appropriate medications based on the kidney&#39;s tissue findings Determine how advanced the kidney disease is and how quickly it is progressing Determine the extent of damage from kidney disease or another disease attacking the kidney Evaluate how well treatment for kidney disease is working Monitor the health of a transplanted kidney or find out why a transplanted kidney isn&#39;t working properly Your kidney doctor may recommend a kidney biopsy based on the results of blood or urine tests that show: Blood in the urine (hematuria) that comes from the kidney Protein in the urine (proteinuria) that&#39;s excessive and over a limit, rising or accompanied by other signs of kidney disease Problems with kidney function, leading to excessive waste products in the blood Kidney biopsy is not necessarily needed in everyone with these problems. The decision is usually made between you and your kidney doctor based on your signs and symptoms, test results, and overall health. Risks In general, kidney biopsy is a safe procedure. Possible risks include: Bleeding. ?The most common complication of a kidney biopsy is a collection of blood around the kidney (hematoma) and sometimes blood in the urine (hematuria). The hematoma is usually self-contained and the doctors monitor it for no expansion. The blood in the urine usually stops within a few days. Bleeding that&#39;s serious enough to require a blood transfusion affects a very small percentage of people who have a kidney biopsy and you have to agree to it before undergoing biopsy. Rarely, further interventions and even surgery is needed to control ongoing bleeding. Pain. ?Pain at the biopsy site is common after a kidney biopsy, but it usually lasts only a few hours. Arteriovenous fistula. ?If the biopsy needle accidentally damages the walls of a nearby artery and vein, an abnormal connection (fistula) can form between the two blood vessels. This type of fistula usually causes no symptoms and closes on its own. Others. ?Rarely, a collection of blood (hematoma) around the kidney becomes infected. This complication is treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage. Another uncommon risk is development of high blood pressure related to a large hematoma. How you prepare Your kidney doctor will talk about what to expect during a kidney biopsy. This is a good time to ask questions about the procedure and make sure you understand the benefits and risks. Medications When you meet with your doctor, bring a list of all medications you take, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal supplements. Before your kidney biopsy, you&#39;ll be asked to take your blood pressure medications but stop water pills and taking medications and supplements that can increase the risk of bleeding. These include: Blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants), such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), dabigatran (Pradaxa) or enoxaparin (Lovenox) Aspirin Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Aleve, Narosyn, NSAIDs) Certain dietary supplements that increase risk of bleeding, such as omega-3 fatty acids Generally, these medications will be stopped several days before the procedure and may be resumed several days after the procedure. Your doctor or nurse will let you know when to stop taking these medications and supplements, and for how long. Blood and urine samples Before your biopsy, you&#39;ll have blood drawn and provide a urine sample to make sure you don&#39;t have an infection or another condition that would make the&nbsp;biopsy risky. Diet You may be asked not to drink or eat for eight hours before the kidney biopsy. What to Expect: A kidney biopsy is done at a hospital or outpatient center. Usually an IV will be placed before the procedure starts for giving fluids or medications. During the procedure During the procedure, you&#39;ll be sedated but awake and able to follow instructions. The physician will choose which kidney to biopsy, right or left. You lie on your abdomen or your side, depending on which position allows best access to the kidney which is being biopsied. For biopsy of a transplanted kidney, most people lie on their backs as this kidney is closer to the front of abdomen. A kidney biopsy takes about an hour and includes these steps: Either with an ultrasound or CT scan, the doctor identifies exactly where to insert the biopsy needle. You are given a medication to relax through the IV prior to the procedure. Your doctor marks your skin, cleans the area with an antiseptic and applies a numbing medication (local anesthetic like lidocaine). If you experience any pain not controlled by the numbing medicine, your doctor may give you some pain medication through your IV during the procedure. Your doctor makes a small incision where the needle will go in and uses the ultrasound device or CT scan to guide the needle into your kidney. You may be asked to hold your breath as your doctor collects a kidney tissue sample. You may feel a &quot;pop&quot; or pressure and hear a clicking noise. To get enough tissue sample for best analysis, your doctor may need to insert the needle few times &mdash; often through the same incision. After enough tissue is sampled the doctor removes the needle and places a small bandage on the incision and checks to make sure there is no bleeding. &nbsp; Other kidney biopsy procedures The above kidney biopsy may not be an option for some people. If you have a history of bleeding problems, have a blood-clotting disorder or have only one kidney, your doctor may consider other types of biopsy like laparoscopic biopsy. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a thin, lighted tube with a video camera at its tip (laparoscope) through your back. This tool allows the surgeon to view your kidney on a video screen and remove tissue samples. After the procedure After the kidney biopsy, you can expect to: Rest quietly for several hours in a recovery room where your blood pressure, pulse and br