Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in real-life settings

Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an important method in staging lung cancer and diagnosing diseases causing mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Most studies confirming the performance of EBUS-TBNA have been prospective studies with strict protocols. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy in real life in a tertiary-level hospital.

A retrospective evaluation was made of patients who underwent transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) between January 2019 and December 2023. The results obtained from invasive surgery performed on patients with a negative result were compared with the EBUS-TBNA results.

Evaluation was made of 279 patients, comprising 177 males and 102 females with a mean age of 60.11 years (range, 20-87 years). A total of 569 lymph node stations were sampled. The diagnostic sensitivity of the EBUS-TBNA procedure was determined to be 86.4 %, the negative predictive value was 63 %, and the diagnostic success of EBUS-TBNA based on a definitive diagnosis was 89.2 %.

As the EBUS-TBNA procedure becomes more widespread, there is a need for evaluation in the field other than in specialized centers. The performance of EBUS-TBNA in our center was found to have a base accuracy of 89.2 % for all pathologies. As it is minimally invasive, is reliable, and has high diagnostic rates, it is worth promoting broader applications of EBUS-TBNA in thoracic lesions in non-specialized centers.