Diagnostic yield and complications of thoracic ultrasound-guided biopsy performed by pulmonologists

Interventional pulmonology is a growing field in India, and adding thoracic ultrasound (TUS)-guided lung biopsy can be useful for interventional pulmonologists. This study evaluated whether TUS-guided lung biopsy performed by pulmonologists, without the help of radiologists, can accurately diagnose pulmonary disease. A single-center prospective study was conducted with patients with pulmonary lesions requiring transthoracic biopsy. The primary objective was to find out the time taken by an experienced pulmonologist for the procedure without the aid of a radiologist. The secondary objective included the diagnostic yield of TUS-guided lung biopsy performed by a pulmonologist and the complication rate of the procedure. The study included 88 patients aged 18 to 86 years with a mean age of 62.7±12.9 years. The mean time taken for biopsy was 13±2.42 minutes. A total of 68 (77.2%) cases were biopsied in 11-15 minutes. Diagnosis could be established in 88.5% of cases. Pain at the biopsy site was the most common complication seen in 11 (12.5%) cases. Hemoptysis and bleeding at the biopsy site were seen in 7 (7.95%) cases. Pneumothorax was seen in 2 (2.27%) cases. Air embolism, post-procedure intubation, and malfunctioning of the forceps were seen in 1 (1.14%) case. TUS-guided lung biopsy performed by a pulmonologist without the help of a radiologist has a diagnostic yield similar to that performed by radiologists but can take a shorter time. The complications are also similar but can be addressed quickly.