Feasibility and Safety of Pleuroscopic Cryobiopsy of the Pleura: A Prospective Study. (22nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Chia-Hung; Cheng, Wen-Chien; Wu, Biing-Ru; Chen, Chih-Yu; Chen, Wei-Chun; Liao, Wei-Chih; Tu, Chih-Yen
• Other Names: Chung Fu-Tsai Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Canadian respiratory journal. Volume 2018(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-01-22
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Canada -- Periodicals; Respiration; Respiratory organs -- Diseases; Canada; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1155/2018/6746470
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1198-2241

Abstract

Abstract : Background . The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the feasibility and safety of taking biopsy specimens by cryoprobe from the parietal pleura during semirigid pleuroscope. Methods . In a single-center, observational, prospective study, patients with exudative pleural effusion (EPE) were evaluated with a semirigid pleuroscope between January 2015 and July 2017. Each patient underwent pleural biopsy using flexible forceps and flexible cryoprobe through pleuroscope following diagnostic thoracentesis and closed pleural biopsy (CPB). Results . A total of 92 patients (median age 64 years) were included in the study, most of whom were men (65.2%). Cytological cell block (CCB) and CPB made definitive diagnoses in 32/92 (34.8%) and 25/92 (27.5%), respectively; flexible forceps biopsy (FFB) and cryoprobe biopsy (CB) established definitive diagnoses in 84/92 (91.3%) and 91/92 (98.9%), respectively. The sample obtained by CB (9.4 ± 4.9 mm) was significantly larger than the other two methods: FFB (4.2 ± 2.3 mm) or CPB (1.9 ± 1.0 mm) (P < 0.0001 ). The immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was more easily performed with CB (98.9%) compared to either FFB (87.0%) or CPB (13.0%). There were no significant complications or procedure-related deaths. Conclusions . Based on these results, CB during semirigid pleuroscope has a high diagnostic yield, differentiating EPE of unknown etiology with satisfactory effectiveness and safety.