title: Pilot feasibility study of transbronchial needle forceps: a new tool for obtaining histology samples from mediastinal subcarinal lymph nodes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutting transbronchial histology needles to obtain tissue cores from hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes or masses adjacent to the tracheobronchial tree are able to provide adequate histology tissue samples in only 38% to 78% of cases. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new instrument developed to obtain a fragment of a tissue for histologic diagnosis of enlarged subcarinal lymph nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The transbronchial needle forceps (TBNF) is a sampling instrument that combines the characteristics of a needle (beveled tip for penetrating through the bronchial wall) with that of a forceps (2 serrated jaws for grasping the biopsy). The external diameter of the needle forceps is 1.5 mm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen patients (11 male, 3 female; mean age: 51 y) with subcarinal lymph node enlargement greater than 2 cm in short axis were included in this pilot study. TBNF provided tissue for histologic diagnosis in 8 patients (57.1%). In 4 patients (28.5%) TBNF could not be inserted through the bronchial wall. For patients in whom it was possible to insert the TBNF, a tissue core adequate for histologic examination was obtained in 9 (90%) and a diagnosis in 8 (80%) (non-small-cell lung cancer in 3, sarcoidosis in 2, small cell lung cancer in 1, tuberculosis in 1, and Hodgkin lymphoma in 1). No clinically significant procedure-related complications were encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that, when insertion through the bronchial wall is possible, TBNF safely provides diagnostic histologic specimens of subcarinal lymphadenopathy in a large percentage of cases.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Diseases Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Immunoallergic and Respiratory Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Ospedali Riuniti," Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zuccatosta
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sediari
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mei