Transbronchial needle aspiration in clinical practice.

Abstract

Transbronchial needle aspiration has recently been adapted for use with the flexible bronchoscope. We studied 108 patients, who had a total of 110 aspirations performed, and diagnosed thoracic cancer in 70 cases. Transbronchial needle aspiration revealed malignant disease in 32 (46%) of these 70 patients. In 12 (17%) patients with cancer this technique provided the sole cytological or histological confirmation of the diagnosis. It gave a positive result in an additional 20 (29%) cases in which the diagnosis was also proved by conventional procedures, and it provided important staging information in these patients. In 20% of patients with cancer transbronchial needle aspiration precluded the need for further diagnostic surgery. There were no complications in this series. This is a safe, useful, and economical technique that can be used in diagnosing and staging patients with carcinoma of the lung.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology in the evaluation of suspected tuberculosis in patients with isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy

“…AFB cultures were positive in only 35 % [17]. Nonsurgical options for obtaining tissue samples include percutaneous needle aspiration cytology [18], percutaneous ultrasonography-or CT-guided biopsy [19,20], transbronchial FNA cytology [21,22], and transesophageal EUS-FNA cytology [23]. EUS-FNA is accurate and feasible even when the mediastinal lesions do not produce extrinsic compression of the esophagus [24 -27].…”

Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Diagnosing Intrathoracic Tuberculous Lymphadenitis

“…4,23,27,28 Nevertheless, cytology needles have been providing adequate accuracy in the diagnosis and staging of bronchogenic carcinoma. [1][2][3][4] The histology needle, which is also capable of diagnosing benign intrathoracic adenopathy, is more widely used to diagnose sarcoidosis than other benign disorders. In this granulomatous disorder, the histology needle provides a yield of 51 to 90%, depending on the stage of the disease, [5][6][7] and it is exclusively diagnostic in at least 18% of the patients.…”

Usefulness of Various Diagnostic Techniques during Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy for Endoscopically Visible Lung Cancer: Should Cytologic Examinations Be Performed Routinely?

“…Washings were obtained by lavage with 20–40 ml of normal saline and aspiration into a trap. For transbronchial needle aspiration, a 22-gauge needle was directly inserted into the mass or submucosal lesion and two aspirates were obtained utilizing a 50-ml syringe [14]. Bronchoscopies included 2 endobronchial brushings and 3–4 forceps biopsies [3, 15].…”