Transthoracic needle biopsy: factors effecting risk of pneumothorax

• Published in: European journal of radiology 2003-12, Vol.48 (3), p.263-267
• Main Authors: Topal, Uğur, Ediz, Bülent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Needle - adverse effects; Chi-Square Distribution; Complication; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Lung - pathology; Lung biopsy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Pneumothorax; Pneumothorax - epidemiology; Pneumothorax - etiology; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0720-048X; 1872-7727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0720-048X(03)00058-5

Objective: to evaluate the factors that could effect the risk of pneumothorax in patients undergoing transthoracic biopsy. Material and methods: variables that could increase the risk of pneumothorax were evaluated in 453 CT-guided transthoracic biopsies. Factors were evaluated in two groups: (1) lesion related (presence of emphysema around the lesion, lesion depth, cavitation, presence of fissure/atelectasis and pleural tag in the needle trajectory); and (2) procedure related (biopsy type, needle size, number of passages, level of experience of the operator). All variables were analysed by χ 2 test and multivariate logistic regression statistics. Results: pneumothorax was developed in 85 (18.8%) out of 453 procedures. A chest tube was inserted in ten (11.7%) of them. Variables that were significantly associated with an increased risk of pneumothorax were depth of the lesion ( P