CT-guided percutaneous biopsy is a minimally invasive technique used for obtaining enough tissue samples in the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. The common complications of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy include pneumothorax, hemoptysis. Coaxial technique makes it much easier to repeat sampling and obtain adequate specimens, still it makes no change to the high incidence of pneumothorax. Basic on the research De Filippoet al. had done about complications, we hypothesis that when the inner chuck of coaxial guiding needle was removed and the cutting needle was placed inside the guiding needle, the injection of a small amount of liquid (a mixture of lidocaine and hemocoagulase) through the syringe while withdraw of the guiding needle may help to prevent the incidence of pneumothorax for which close the needle track with liquid.
From August 24th, 2018 to April 1th ,2019, a total of 32 CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy procedures performed in 32 patients were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into groups regarding the lesion from pleural surface: <30 mm or ≥ 30 mm. The rates of complications such as pneumothorax and pneumorrhagia were analyzed. And the complications were graded as mild/very mild, moderate, and severe. Different complications between the two groups were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared test for categorical values.
Pathology results were malignant in 28 patients (17 cases were adenocarcinoma), benign in 4 patients.7 cases (21.9%) happened pneumothorax (4 very mild pneumothorax, 2 mild pneumothorax, 1 moderate pneumothorax),13 cases (40.6%) happened pneumorrhagia (12 mild pneumorrhagia, 1 very mild pneumorrhagia). And there was no statistically significant between pneumothorax and the depth of lesion to pleural surface (P > 0.05).
Compared to co-axial technique only, CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy using co-axial combined with "liquid withdraw" significantly reduced the incidence of pneumothorax, which has been confirmed what we found in earlier retrospective study. The new technique provided an more accurate, secure and reliable way to obtain adequate tissue samples in the diagnosis.
Comprehensive Cancer Center of Drum-Tower Hospital.
Has not received any funding.
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.