Abstract
Peripheral lung lesions (PLL) are sometimes difficult to reach even with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and insufficient material is often obtained by transbronchial forceps biopsy (TBB) . Cryo probes can be used for performing tissue biopsies. We evaluated safety and feasibility of the cryo probe in combination with EBUS for the diagnosis of PLL.
Patients with PLL up to 4 cm were enrolled. After identifying the lung lesion by radial EBUS, forceps and cryo biopsies were performed in a randomised order. We evaluated safety and feasibility, and compared diagnostic yield and sample size.
39 patients were randomised and the PLL was reached in 31. The overall diagnostic yield was 60.5% and in the lesions reached by EBUS it was 74.2%. In 19 cases the diagnosis was made with forceps as well as cryo biopsy and in 4 cases only with cryo biopsy. Cryo biopsies were significantly larger than forceps biopsies (11.17 mm2 vs 4.69 mm2, p<0.001). We observed 1 case of moderate bleeding.
Transbronchial cryo biopsy with EBUS-guidance is safe and useful to obtain histological samples. Larger tissue samples can be obtained by cryo probe.
- Bronchoscopy
- cryo biopsy
- cryo probe
- endobronchial ultrasound
- lung cancer
- pulmonary lesion
- transbronchial biopsy
- ERS