title: Interstitial lung disease: diagnostic accuracy and safety of surgical lung biopsy.
abstract: This study reports our experience, diagnostic accuracy and safety of surgical lung biopsy in patients with interstitial lung diseases. From January 1998 - December 2007 surgical lung biopsy was performed in 53 patients (22 female [41.5%]; age 47.2+/-13 years). A total of 37 patients (69.8%) underwent videothoracoscopic lung biopsy and minithoracotomy was performed in 16 patients (30.2%). Right lung was the choice in 47 patients (88.7%). Postoperative complications were rare (9.4%) and included three prolonged air leaks (5.7%), one pneumothorax requiring a chest drain (1.9%), and one haemothorax requiring reoperation (1.9%). One patient died of cardiac arrest of unknown cause. Average chest tube duration was 4.4+/-3 days and average hospital stay 5.4+/-4 days. Lung biopsy contributed to the diagnosis in 50 patients (94.3%). In conclusion, the potential benefits of diagnostic surgical lung biopsy must be considered against the risks of the procedure especially in patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Porto, Portugal. migueldavidguerra@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: José António
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vouga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012449:Safety; D055815:Young Adult