PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Ines de Mir AU - Antonio Moreno AU - Patricia Gorriz AU - Sandra Rovira AU - Alba Torrent AU - Silvia Gartner AU - Carlos Martin TI - The role of transbronchial biopsy in pediatric patients DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - 1420 VI - 38 IP - Suppl 55 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/1420.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/1420.full SO - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38 AB - Objective: To evaluate the use of transbronchial biopsies in pediatric lung diseases.Methods: Restrospective review of transbronchial biopsies performed between 1998 and 2010. We analyzed the technique used, type of bronchoscope, complications, sample adequacy and diagnostic utility.We reviewed 137 biopsies, 25 were desestimated for lack of information, so 112 biopsies from 47 patients were finally evaluated. Of these, 34 had received a lung or cardio-pulmonary transplant (age range, 6 months- 22 years) and 13 were non-transplanted patients (18 months to 18 years). In 22 procedures, a 3.6 mm flexible bronchoscope was used (with forceps of 1.1 mm clips); in the rest we used a 4.9 mm bronchoscope (with 1.8 mm clips)Results: One hundred biopsies (90%) were adequate (91.2% of the biopsies performed with the 1.8 mm forceps and 62.7% with the 1.1 mm forceps). In the non-transplant population, biopsy was diagnostic in 75% (78% biopsied with the 1.8 mm, 11% with 1.1 mm forceps;11% unknown)Cell acute rejection was diagnosed in 25% of transplanted patients. Rejection was observed in 23% of all the biopsies and in 33% when we considered the sympthomatic patients.Complications included five pneumothorax (4.5%), three bronchospasm (2.7%) and nineteen bleeding (16.9%), 17 mild-moderate and 2 severe (1.8%), that stopped after instillation of cold saline and adrenalinaConclusions: Transbronchial biopsy is a relatively safe and effective method for diagnosis and monitoring of lung diseases in selected children. We got a poor performance with the pediatric bronchoscope and forceps of 1.1 mm in our unit, so when possible the use of forceps 1.8mm might be preferable.