Our Closed Pleural Biopsy Results in Our Patients With Pleural Effusion

Author(s): Aydin Balci, Ahmet Dumanli

Objective: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent closed pleural biopsy for diagnostic purposes among our patients who were followed up in our clinic for the last 5 years due to pleural effusion.

Material and Method: Of the 155 patients who underwent closed pleural biopsy in our clinic between January 2015 and January 2020, 125 patients whom we could contact were included in the study. Postero anterior lung (PAAG) radiographs and lateral chest radiographs were examined. Pleural fluid amount according to the PAAG graph; It was defined as minimal (fluid that closes the costophrenic angle and does not erase the entire diaphragm), medium (fluid covering less than 2/3 of the hilus) and massive (fluid covering more than 2/3 of the hemithorax).

Results: When the complaints of our cases were evaluated. The most common complaint was the shortness of breath with 35 (28%) people, while 24 (19.2%) people had cough and 21 (16.8%) chest pain, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed in the complaints of the patients in terms of the amount of dyspnea and fluid (p = 0.04). When the biopsy pathology results of our patients were examined, 43 (34.4%) patients were malignant, 29 (23.2%) patients had nonspecific inflammation, 28 (22.4%) patients had chronic inflammation and 25 (20%) patients had granulomatous inflammation.

Conclusion: Considering its low cost, easy use in experienced hands, and low complication rates, and its applicability with local anesthesia, closed pleural biopsy should always be considered as a first-line diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion.