A new electrocautery pleural biopsy technique using an insulated-tip diathermic knife during semirigid pleuroscopy

摘要

Background The biopsy size obtained with standard flexible forceps (SFF) during semirigid pleuroscopy is often insufficient for pathological examination. An insulated-tip diathermic knife (IT knife) allows safe resection of a larger lesion during gastrointestinal endoscopy. We sought to validate an electrocautery pleural biopsy technique using the IT knife during semirigid pleuroscopy. We compared the diagnosis of specimens obtained using the IT knife and SFF in 20 subjects with unexplained pleural effusion, and reviewed pleuroscopic parameters such as complications, procedure time, and diameter of the specimens.