Preoperative computed tomography-guided pulmonary nodule localization augmented by laser angle guide assembly.

Area of Science:

• Thoracic medicine
• Pulmonary procedures
• Medical device innovation

Background:

• Increasing need for thoracic specialists to master preoperative localization of sub-centimeter nodules detected by low-dose CT.
• Development of the Laser Angle Guide Assembly (LAGA) to aid in CT-guided pulmonary invasive procedures.
• LAGA aims to improve safety and efficiency of preoperative CT-guided localizations (POCTGL).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Laser Angle Guide Assembly (LAGA) in assisting preoperative CT-guided localizations (POCTGL).
• To assess the impact of LAGA on targeting precision, procedure time, and complication rates.
• To analyze factors associated with pneumothorax during LAGA-assisted POCTGL.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical and localization data from patients undergoing LAGA-assisted POCTGL.
• Data collected for patients with pulmonary nodules between May 2015 and June 2018.
• Inclusion of data on nodule characteristics, procedure details, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• 187 patients with 266 pulmonary nodules underwent LAGA-assisted POCTGL.
• Successful targeting and field targeting rates were 100% and 98.1%, respectively.
• Pneumothorax occurred in 6.4% of localizations, with factors like puncture frequency and tumor proximity to fissure increasing risk. No hookwire migration occurred.

Conclusions:

• LAGA enhances precision in preoperative CT-guided localizations (POCTGL).
• The device optimizes targeting accuracy and reduces the need for repeat punctures.
• LAGA contributes to minimizing complications such as pneumothorax during pulmonary nodule localization.