title: Assessment of the new thin convex probe endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscope and the dedicated aspiration needle: a preliminary study in the porcine lung.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) allows for accurate minimally invasive mediastinal lymph node staging of lung cancer. The current convex probe EBUS (CP-EBUS) has limitations in the access to certain N1 lymph nodes (lobar and segmental) because of its size. The aim of this study was to assess the new thin CP-EBUS (TCP-EBUS) and an aspiration needle for sampling of N1 lymph nodes in a porcine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prototype TCP-EBUS (BF-Y0046, Olympus Medical Systems Corp.) with a thinner tip (5.9 mm) and larger bending angle (170 degrees upward) was used. Accessibility, operability, and TBNA capability of the TCP-EBUS were assessed and compared with the current CP-EBUS using porcine lungs. The endoscopic visibility range and the maximum reach were evaluated at the left upper lobe bronchus, tracheobronchus, and right lower lobe bronchus. The prototype aspiration needle (Olympus Medical Systems Corp.) was used for EBUS-TBNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all of the evaluated bronchi (n=9), the TCP-EBUS had a greater reach (14.7 mm in the endoscopic visibility range, 16.0 mm in the maximum reach) than the current CP-EBUS. The TCP-EBUS was able to visualize 1 to 3 distal bifurcations farther compared with the current CP-EBUS. Adequate lymph node sampling from lobar and segmental lymph nodes was possible using the aspiration needle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TCP-EBUS has improved accessibility to peripheral bronchi with excellent operability and is capable of sampling lobar and segmental lymph nodes using the dedicated aspiration needle.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Thoracic Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, ON, Canada †Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirohashi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anayama
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Alexandria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grindlay
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasufuku
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine