Outcome of Transbronchial Lung Biopsy for Patients with Respiratory Symptoms

Abstract

Background and objectives: Transbronchial lung biopsy was introduced into clinical practice as a diagnostic procedure in the evaluation of diffuse lung diseases and it is relatively noninvasive and safe to obtain tissue lung biopsies. Our aim was to evaluate this procedure for the diagnosis of patients with different lung pathologies. Methods: A prospective study of 50 cases with a variety of respiratory symptoms and chest imaging findings like mass lesions, infiltrations and consolidations, referred to our respiratory center from August 2017 to August 2018. Flexible bronchoscope and C-arm fluoroscope had been. Results: The most common radiological findings were consolidations (34%), masses (16%) and cavitation (10%). The diagnostic yield of Transbronchial lung biopsy was 50 % of the cases, 8 cases (16 %) out of these were mycobacterium tuberculosis, 6 cases (12%) were cryptogenic organizing pneumonia ,5 cases (10%) were bronchogenic carcinoma,3 cases (6%) were usual interstitial pneumonia, 1 case (2%) was anthracosis, 1 case (2%) was sarcoidosis and 1 case (2%) was silicosis. There were just two complications,1 case (2%) developed pneu- mothorax and another one (2%) developed surgical emphysema. Conclusions: Transbronchial lung biopsy is still a very useful safe and necessary procedure, In the absence of new technical procedures like endobronchial ultrasound or radial probe- endobronchial ultrasound, it remains an important step in the diagnosis of various lung diseases with minimal complication.