%0 Journal Article %A Masahide Oki %A Hideo Saka %A Chiyoe Kitagawa %A Yoshihito Kogure %A Shigehisa Kajikawa %A Naohiko Murata %A Takashi Adachi %A Saori Oka %A Rie Tsuboi %T Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy with thin bronchoscopy for peripheral pulmonary lesions %D 2011 %J European Respiratory Journal %P 4523 %V 38 %N Suppl 55 %X Introduction: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) using a conventional bronchoscope has the limitation of poor bronchial selectivity because of its large size.Aims and objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of EBUS-TBB using a thin bronchoscope for peripheral pulmonary lesions.Methods: Data prospectively collected from 188 patients with suspected peripheral lesions who underwent EBUS-TBB using a 3.4-mm thin bronchoscope with a 1.7-mm channel and a 1.4-mm radial ultrasonic probe under fluoroscopic guidance were retrospectively analyzed.Results: Thirteen patients with endobronchial lesions within the segmental bronchi that were defined as central lesions and 6 patients who did not return to follow-up were excluded from this analysis. Thus, a total of 169 patients (113 men and 56 women; median age, 67 years) with peripheral pulmonary lesions (median size, 28 mm; range, 8 to 70 mm) were included in the final analysis. The mean bronchus level reached with the thin bronchoscope was 4.6th generations. The lesion was localized with EBUS in 151 patients (91%). Diagnostic histologic specimens were obtained in 115 of 169 patients (68%: 48% [81% for lesions >30 mm, 50% for lesions >20 to ≤30 mm, and 17% for lesions ≤20 mm] for benign lesions and 76% [85% for lesions >30 mm, 70% for lesions >20 to ≤30 mm, and 65% for lesions ≤20 mm] for malignant lesions). Five complications (3%) occurred: 3 pneumothoraces, 1 pneumonia, and 1 moderate bleeding.Conclusion: EBUS-TBB using a thin bronchoscope is an accurate method for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions, especially malignant lesions. %U