[Intraoperative thracoscopic needle biopsy for the diagnosis of indeterminate pulmonary tumor]

To define the usefulness of intraoperative thracoscopic needle biopsy( ITNB), we compared the background and operative outcomes of the patients underwent ITNB with those of the patients underwent partial lung resection(PLR)using auto-suture devices. Between 2002 and 2009, 78 patients were diagnosed as lung carcinoma by intraoperative pathological examination (IPE) and subsequently performed curative surgery. In these 78 patients, 31 underwent ITNB (NB group)first and 47 underwent PLR (PR group) first. The tumor size, distance between tumor and pleura, number of required auto-suture devices and duration time of surgery in NB group were 34.5±15.6 mm, 9.2±8.6 mm, 4.2±1.5 and 276±47 minutes, respectively. Those in PR group were 27.8±14.2 mm, 7.1±6.8 mm, 5.5±2.0 and 286±61 min utes, respectively. The number of required auto-suture devices in NB group was significantly fewer than that in PR group (p<0.01).The accuracy of IPE was 93.5% and local recurrences weren't observed in NB group. ITNB prior to PLR for the patients with indeterminate lung tumor economizes the auto-suture devices and time required for PLR, so this method might contribute to save the operative cost and duration.