[Lung biopsy by thoracotomy. 23 cases (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Diffuse lung disease diagnosis can be challenging with conventional methods.
• Bilateral reticulo-nodular radiological appearances often indicate focal lesions not readily identified.
• Percutaneous needle biopsy has shown limitations in diagnostic yield and carries risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic utility and safety of surgical lung biopsy for diffuse lung disease.
• To assess the procedure's efficacy in identifying elusive focal lesions and malignant conditions.
• To compare surgical lung biopsy with alternative diagnostic techniques.

Main Methods:

• Series of surgical lung biopsies performed for patients with diffuse lung disease.
• Analysis of diagnostic rates, procedure tolerance, and complication rates.
• Comparison with outcomes of percutaneous needle biopsy and other investigations.

Main Results:

• Surgical lung biopsy demonstrated excellent tolerance and a high diagnostic rate.
• The procedure is particularly indicated for bilateral reticulo-nodular patterns suggestive of occult lesions.
• Malignant lesions, curable at early stages, were identified, which would have been missed otherwise.
• Mortality associated with surgical lung biopsy is low (0.5-2%), comparable to general anesthesia risks.

Conclusions:

• Surgical lung biopsy is a safe and effective method for diagnosing diffuse lung disease when other methods fail.
• It offers a significant advantage in terms of time to diagnosis and identification of treatable conditions.
• The technique is suitable for use even in intensive care settings for specific respiratory distress cases.