Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in mediastinal lymphadenopathy

Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is accepted as a safe and minimally invasive modality for evaluation of mediastinal pathologies in adults. There is scanty literature on the utilization and performance characteristics of Convex probe EBUS-TBNA in children. The authors herein describe two pediatric patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy wherein the underlying diagnosis was unclear based on the clinico-radiological profile. A possibility of lymphoma was considered in one of the patients. EBUS-TBNA was performed for obtaining tissue samples from the enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes and diagnosis of tuberculosis was established in both the patients. The authors review the available literature on Pediatric EBUS TBNA. EBUS-TBNA is an exciting and promising approach towards safe and accurate evaluation of mediastinal pathologies in children. Pediatric EBUS-TBNA needs further evaluation in prospective studies.