First Asia-Pacific experience of trans-bronchial core biopsy with a Franseen needle

Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is the standard for evaluating mediastinal and hilar lesions. EBUS-TBNA is limited by small volume of material obtained for immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ancillary studies important for oncological therapies. The Franseen Acquire^TM needle is designed for EBUS-transbronchial needle core biopsy (TBNB) allowing larger core sizes with evidence in gastroenterology literature but little in pulmonology. This study reports the first Asia-Pacific experience of EBUS-TBNB and adequacy of samples for diagnosis and ancillary studies.

A retrospective cohort study of EBUS-TBNB at the Royal Adelaide Hospital was conducted between December 2019 and May 2021. Diagnostic rate, adequacy for ancillary studies and complications were evaluated. Samples were flushed into formalin for histological processing with no rapid on-site cytological evaluation (ROSE). For suspected lymphoma, samples were flushed into HANKS for flow cytometry. Cases performed with the Olympus Vizishot^TM during the same 18-month were similarly analysed.

One hundred and eighty-nine patients were sampled with the Acquire^TM needle. Diagnostic rate was 174/189 (92.1%). Where reported [146/189 (77.2%)], average core aggregate sample size was 13.4 mm × 10.7 mm × 1.7 mm. For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases, 45/49 (91.8%) had adequate tissue for programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). 32/35 (91.4%) adenocarcinoma cases had sufficient tissue for ancillary studies. There was one false negative malignant lymph node at the first Acquire^TM procedure. There were no major complications. One hundred and one patients were sampled with the Vizishot^TM needle. Diagnostic rate was 86/101 (85.1%) with only 25/101 (24.8%) having reported tissue cores (P<0.0001 of Vizishot^TM) with the remaining samples processed via cell block.

Acquire^TM EBUS-TBNB diagnostic rate is comparable to historical data with >90% of cases having sufficient core material for ancillary studies. There appears to be a role for the Acquire^TM alongside the standard of care for the work up of lymphadenopathy and particularly for lung cancer.