Open lung biopsy as a diagnostic adjuvant in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases

In a survey of the possible means of establishing a diagnosis in diffuse pulmonary diseases, the usefulness of the open lung biopsy technique is discussed in more detail. In the opinion of the writers the open biopsy offers advantages over the other biopsy methods since: 1) a greater number of and more extensive biopsies can be taken; 2) the hazard of complications is slighter; 3) differences in biopsy specimens, for example, from the upper lobe and the lower lobe can be studied; 4) multiple biopsy specimens permit the carrying out of many examinations such as virological examination, bacteriological examination, histochemical examination, electron microscopic examination and immunofluorescence examination. The method under discussion carries no risk. There was no mortality in this series. The hazard of complications is slight and certainly slighter than in other methods; our experience has shown that it is slighter than in other methods of biopsying the lung.