Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Cryobiopsy Study
Overview
This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided transbronchial cryobiopsy for examining mediastinal and hilar lesions. It compares this method to the standard technique known as EBUS-TBNA.
Study Details
Patients in four Swiss centers who needed diagnostic bronchoscopy for specific lesions were included. The study focuses on:
- Diagnostic yield
- Safety of EBUS-guided cryobiopsy versus EBUS-TBNA
Methods Used
The study involved various tools for targeting lesions:
- Electric needle knife (70.8%)
- 19 G needle (12.4%)
- 22 G needle (16.8%)
Freezing times for cryobiopsies ranged from 4-10 seconds.
Key Findings
A total of 137 patients participated, with a median follow-up of 89 days. The results showed:
- Diagnostic yield: 56.2% for EBUS-TBNA vs. 91.2% for cryobiopsies (p<0.001)
- Increased diagnostic yield for benign disorders (+28.5%) and rare tumors (+5.9%) with cryobiopsy
- For lung cancer, cryobiopsy provided better immunohistochemistry results (88.9% vs. 40.7%)
Adverse events occurred in 23.4% of patients, including mild to moderate bleeding (10.2%), pneumonia (0.7%), and one case of pneumothorax. No deaths or infections were reported.
Conclusion
Cryobiopsy significantly improves diagnostic outcomes compared to EBUS-TBNA while maintaining a good safety profile.
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