title: Transtracheal needle aspiration.
abstract: A series of 27 transtracheal needle aspiration biopsies performed on 25 patients were reviewed. A rigid bronchoscope and rigid needle were used. The biopsies were performed as staging procedures in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma, or to obtain diagnoses in patients with mediastinal adenopathy. A cytopathologist attended 11 biopsies and microscopically examined a direct smear to determine adequacy. Repeat biopsies were taken at the time if necessary. A diagnosis was obtained in 9/11 (81%) of these cases. Only 3/16 biopsies (18.8%) performed in the absence of a pathologist were diagnostic. All negative cases were subsequently found to have disease (2 sarcoidosis, 13 cancer) by other methods including mediastinoscopy in 5 cases. In the patient group sampled, the technique of rigid needle and rigid bronchoscope with a cytopathologist in attendance resulted in a much higher sensitivity for the test than has been previously reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytology, Green Lane Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wilsher
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gurley
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000556:secondary*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea