PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Evgeni Gershman
AU  - Oren Fruchter
AU  - Dror Rosengarten
AU  - Benjamin Fox
AU  - B.A. El Raouf
AU  - Victoria Rusanov
AU  - Yael Raviv
AU  - Nader Abdel-Rahman
AU  - Ludmila Fridel
AU  - M.R. Kramer
TI  - Safety of cryo-trans bronchial biopsy in diffuse lung diseases- analysis 0f 200 cases
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P683
VI  - 44
IP  - Suppl 58
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P683.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P683.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Sep 01; 44
AB  - Introduction: Trans-bronchial biopsy (TBB) which is performed with metal forceps (forceps-TBB) has been accepted as a useful technique in establishing diagnosis of diffuse lung diseases. The use of cryo-probe to obtain alveolar tissue (cryo-TBB) is a new method which is currently used by our institute as well as others with excellent results.Aim: To assess the safety of cryo-TBB compared with conventional forceps -TBB.Methods:We performed retrospective data evaluation of 200 cryo-TBB cases at our institute and compared them with previous cases done by forceps-TBB.The yield of both diagnostic modalities was compared based on pathological reports. The major complications-significant bleeding and pneumothorax- were compared, along with post procedural hospitalization.Results:Pneumothorax was observed in 11(3.6%) cases of cryo vs. 10(4.8%) of forceps TBB without significant difference (p=0.365), even when stratified according to indications for TBB: immunocompromised patients, lung transplantation and interstitial lung diseases.In the cryo- TBB group significant bleeding was seen in 12(5.8%) cases. The incidence was 13(4.3%) in the forceps TBB group with no significant difference (p=0.52).There was no significant difference in the hospital admission rate between groupsConclusion:In patients with diffuse lung diseases cryo-TBB is as safe as forceps-TBB . As we have shown previously the pathological specimen were larger and without crush artifacts, thus, providing a better specimen for the pathologist.