Transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung: results of early discharge in 506 outpatients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the safety of early discharge (30 minutes) after transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) of the lung.


METHODS
In a prospective study of 506 consecutive outpatients who underwent TTNB of the lung, 440 patients underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) only, and 66 underwent FNAB and core biopsy. Patients were discharged after 30-minute postbiopsy chest radiography if there was no pneumothorax. Patients were discharged after 60-minute chest radiography if they had a stable asymptomatic pneumothorax. These patients were followed up 1 day and/or 1 week after biopsy to identify delayed complications. Patients with a symptomatic or enlarging pneumothorax were treated with an 8-F pigtail catheter attached to a Heimlich valve, discharged, and followed up 24 hours later for chest tube removal.


RESULTS
The pneumothorax rate was 22.9% (116 patients). Eighty-one patients (16.0%) had an asymptomatic pneumothorax, and 33 (6.5%) had a pigtail catheter in place. Seven (1.4%) patients developed a symptomatic pneumothorax after discharge; two of them (0.4%) underwent large-bore chest tube insertion. The other five (1.0%) underwent delayed pigtail catheter insertion. There were no deaths or other major complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Early discharge after outpatient TTNB of the lung is associated with little morbidity and no mortality.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y 4E9.
C J
CJ
Dennie
F R
FR
Matzinger
J R
JR
Marriner
D E
DE
Maziak
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome