Drill biopsy in the diagnosis of lung lesions

P Shatapathy1, R C Sahoo, K M Rao

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Thorax
|November 1, 1987
PubMed

Insights

Percutaneous transthoracic biopsy using a high-speed pneumatic drill achieved a 90.7% diagnostic success rate. This minimally invasive lung biopsy technique proved safe and effective for outpatient procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Thoracic Surgery
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Percutaneous transthoracic biopsy is a common diagnostic procedure for lung lesions.
  • Traditional methods have varying success and complication rates.
  • A need exists for safe, efficient, and accurate closed lung biopsy techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a high-speed pneumatic drill for percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy.
  • To determine the diagnostic yield and complication rate of this specific biopsy method.
  • To compare the drill biopsy technique with other existing closed biopsy procedures.

Main Methods:

  • A high-speed pneumatic drill was utilized for percutaneous transthoracic biopsies.
  • 190 procedures were performed on 161 patients.
  • Tissue cores were analyzed for diagnostic yield.

Main Results:

  • A definite diagnosis was achieved in 146 out of 161 patients, yielding a success rate of 90.7%.
  • Complications occurred in 58 patients, with subcutaneous emphysema being most frequent.
  • Only 3.7% of patients required active treatment for complications; one death occurred due to aspiration.

Conclusions:

  • High-speed pneumatic drill biopsy is a simple, safe, and highly effective method for diagnosing lung conditions.
  • The procedure can be safely performed in an outpatient setting.
  • This technique offers superior results compared to other currently practiced closed lung biopsy methods.

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