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Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is commonly used to diagnose and stage lung cancer. In clinical practice, cytology specimens from EBUS-TBNA may be low in cellularity, especially with necrotic lesions. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy (EBUS-TBMC) has recently become the preferred method for obtaining histology biopsy. This retrospective cohort study analysed the first 30 patients who have undergone EBUS-TBMC in a tertiary centre in Malaysia. EBUS-TBMC demonstrated a high diagnostic yield and good safety profile. All the samples obtained were adequate for the detection of driver alteration by next-generation sequencing.

Aim: In this study, we aim to analyze the frequency and indications of repeat bronchoscopic procedures performed at our hospital over a five-year period., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Akdeniz University, and included patients who underwent bronchoscopy between January 1, 2018, and May 31, 2024. Patients who required a repeat bronchoscopy were identified. Inclusion criteria for the repeat bronchoscopy group were non-diagnostic initial bronchoscopy or the need for additional samples for molecular testing in lung cancer patients. Exclusion criteria included patients with incomplete medical records or those who did not provide informed consent for the repeat procedure., Findings: A total of 3877 patients underwent bronchoscopy in this time periods. Among these, 69 patients (1.8 %) required a repeat bronchoscopy. The mean age of these patients was 61.3 ± 11.7 years, with 54 (78 %) being male. The most common reason for the repeat procedure was the non-diagnostic outcome of the initial bronchoscopy (n = 53, 77 %), followed by cases where the initial bronchoscopy was diagnostic for lung cancer but insufficient for molecular testing (n = 16, 23 %). Among the 16 patients who underwent molecular testing, sufficient samples for molecular tests were obtained in 12 patients (75 %) following the second bronchoscopy. Molecular tests were negative for driver mutations in 6 patients, while 6 patients tested positive (PD-L1, n = 5; EGFR, n = 1). In 4 patients (25 %), the sample was reported as insufficient for molecular testing. Patients who underwent repeat bronchoscopy had the second procedure an average of 38.5 ± 59.7 days after the initial procedure. No complications developed in patients undergoing repeat bronchoscopy, except for bleeding not requiring intervention related to the bronchoscopy procedure., Conclusion: In conclusion, regardless of the reason, repeated bronchoscopy in suitable patients is safe and has a high diagnostic yield., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transbronchial microwave ablation in treating lung nodules is gaining popularity. However, microwave ablation in subpleural lung nodules raised concerns about pleural-based complications due to the proximity between the pleura and the ablation zone., Methods: Patients who underwent transbronchial microwave ablation between March 2019 and November 2022 were included in this analysis. The lung nodules were categorized into the subpleural group-less than 5 mm distance to the nearest pleural surface; the deep nodule group-larger or equal to 5 mm distance to the nearest pleural surface. A review of the safety profile of subpleural lung nodule ablation was conducted., Results: Eighty-two lung nodules ( n  = 82) from 77 patients were treated. The mean nodule size was 14.2 ± 5.50 mm. The technical success rate was 100%. The mean procedural time was 133 min. No statistically significant differences were detected in the complication rate and the length of stay between the subpleural and deep nodule groups. Complications occured in 21 nodules (25.6%). No minor pneumothorax was reported. Total five cases of pneumothorax required drainage were observed (6.06% in subpleural nodules [ n  = 2] vs. 6.12% in deep nodules [ n  = 3], p  = 0.991). Total seven cases of pleuritic chest pain were observed (12.1% in subpleural nodules [ n  = 4] vs. 6.12% in deep nodules [ n  = 3], p  = 0.340)., Conclusions: This single-center retrospective analysis found no significant difference in the safety outcomes between subpleural and nonsubpleural lung nodule ablation. The overall rate of complications was low in the cohort. This demonstrated that transbronchial microwave was feasible and safe for most lung nodules., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Remimazolam is safe and effective for moderate sedation during flexible bronchoscopy, but its safety and efficacy during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) remains undetermined. The REST trial (NCT06275594) will be a prospective randomized study of remimazolam in patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA with conscious sedation. The primary aim is to evaluate whether remimazolam is safe and effective for moderate sedation during EBUS-TBNA compared to real-world midazolam and on-label midazolam., Methods: The REST trial will recruit 330 patients from four university hospitals with mediastinal lesions suspected of being lung cancer who are eligible for EBUS-TBNA under moderate sedation. The participants will be randomized into groups using remimazolam, real-world midazolam, and on-label midazolam (US prescribing information dosage) to perform EBUS-TBNA for procedural sedation. The primary endpoint will be procedural success using composite measures., Discussion: The REST trial will prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of remimazolam during EBUS-TBNA under moderate sedation. It will provide information for optimizing sedation modalities and contribute to practical benefits in patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06275594). Prospectively registered on 15 February 2024., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: There have been several reports demonstrating the safety of flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in the elderly, but none have focused specifically on lung cancer, which is a frequent biopsy procedure., Methods: In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the safety of FB and subsequent treatment in elderly patients with suspected primary lung cancer. Elderly patients were defined as 75 years of age or older., Results: A total of 141 patients, 77 in the elderly group and 64 in the nonelderly group, were reviewed. The median age of the elderly group was 80 years. Transbronchial lung biopsy was performed in more than 80% of all patients. Primary lung cancer was diagnosed in 42 (54.4%) of the elderly group and 35 (54.7%) of the nonelderly group (p = 0.38). Approximately 70% of the elderly patients with a confirmed diagnosis were treated, while more than half of the undiagnosed elderly patients had best supportive care. Complications such as bleeding, pneumothorax, fever, and pneumonia were similar in the elderly and nonelderly groups., Conclusions: This study suggests that flexible bronchoscopy can be performed as safely in the elderly as in the nonelderly. Furthermore, even elderly patients may have a greater chance of receiving treatment when a definitive diagnosis is achieved., ((c) 2024 The Authors. Thoracic Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy has recently emerged as an alternative to electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy for the evaluation of peripheral pulmonary lesions. While robotic-assisted bronchoscopy is proposed to have several advantages, such as an easier learning curve, it is unclear if it has comparable diagnostic utility as electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy., Methods: Robotic versus Electromagnetic bronchoscopy for pulmonary LesIon AssessmeNT (RELIANT) is an investigator-initiated, single-center, open label, noninferiority, cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in two operating rooms at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Each operating room (OR) is assigned to either robotic-assisted or electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy each morning, with each OR day considered one cluster. All patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy for evaluation of a peripheral pulmonary lesion in one of the two operating rooms are eligible. Schedulers, patients, and proceduralists are blinded to daily group allocations until randomization is revealed for each operating room each morning. The primary endpoint is the diagnostic yield defined as the proportion of cases yielding lesional tissue. Secondary and safety endpoints include procedure duration and procedural complications. Enrolment began on March 6, 2023, and will continue until 202 clusters have been accrued, with expected enrolment of approximately 400 patients by the time of completion in March of 2024., Discussion: RELIANT is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial that will compare the diagnostic yield of the two most commonly used bronchoscopic approaches for sampling peripheral pulmonary lesions. This will be the first known cluster randomized pragmatic trial in the interventional pulmonology field and the first randomized controlled trial of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov registration (NCT05705544) on January 30, 2023., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Robotic-assisted navigation bronchoscopy (RANB) is a novel method to biopsy lung nodules, with initial reports demonstrating excellent accuracy. We aimed to evaluate pooled estimates of diagnostic yields and complication rates with RANB by performing a meta-analysis of the available literature., Methods: We searched 3 databases, including PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science. The resulting abstracts were reviewed by 2 investigators. Analyses were performed using random effects models, and diagnostic yield and complication rates were estimated after the Freeman-Tukey transformation., Results: A total of 23 articles, comprising 1409 patients and 1541 nodules, were included in the final analysis. Mean ages ranged from 63.2 to 69.3 years. The average size of the nodules ranged between 5.9 and 25.0 mm. Most patients (54.0% to 92.0%) had a current or prior smoking history in studies that reported them (n=8). The pooled diagnostic yield was 81.9% (12 studies, 838 nodules, 95% CI: 83.4%-91.0%), and the pooled sensitivity for malignancy was 87.6% (8 studies, 699 nodules, 95% CI: 81.3%-89.5%). The pooled incidence of pneumothorax rates was 0.60% (95% CI: 0.11%-1.35%). The pooled incidence of major bleeding was <0.01%., Conclusion: Diagnostic yield for patients with pulmonary nodules undergoing RANB is high, though may be impacted by the prevalence of malignancy, participant selection, and publication bias. Complication rates, including pneumothoraces and bleeding rates, appear low across all studies. If RANB is available, clinicians should consider utilizing this platform to biopsy pulmonary nodules., Competing Interests: Disclosure: F.P., N.H., and G.C. have received one-time consulting fees from Noah Medical. W.S. has no conflict of interest or other disclosures., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Peripheral lung lesions can be sampled using various techniques, including computer tomography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, virtual navigation bronchoscopy, and radial probe endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial lung biopsy. Mediastinal lesions can be sampled using techniques like convex probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (CEBUS-TBNA) and endoscopic ultrasound-fine-needle aspiration. However, effective, safe techniques for lesions adjacent to the segmental or subsegmental bronchi are lacking. Herein, we retrospectively evaluated the diagnostic yield and safety of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound-assisted transbronchial needle aspiration (REBUS-TBNA) for lesions adjacent to the segmental bronchi, and explored the factors related to diagnostic yield., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the diagnostic yield and safety of REBUS-TBNA cases performed in our department from January 2019 to December 2022. Observation group patients had undergone REBUS-TBNA for lesions adjacent to the segmental bronchi; control group patients had undergone CEBUS-TBNA for mediastinal or hilar lesions. Patient characteristics and lesion sizes, diagnostic yield, adverse events, and relations between diagnostic yield and clinical characteristics were analyzed., Results: There were not statistically significant between-group differences in sex, age, diagnostic yield, or rate of adverse events. The observation group (n = 25; 17 male, 8 female) had a mean age of 64.76 ± 10.75 years. The average lesion size was 4.66 ± 1.07 cm, and lesions were predominantly in the upper lobes (80%). REBUS-TBNA diagnostic yield was 84%, with no adverse events reported. Diagnostic yield was not associated with lesion size or extent of bronchial stenosis; however, it was positively correlated with number of punctures. Patients with > 3 punctures had a significantly higher diagnostic yield than those with ≤ 3 punctures., Conclusions: REBUS-TBNA is a safe, effective diagnostic technique, particularly for lesions adjacent to the segmental or subsegmental bronchi of the upper lobe. Performing more than three punctures during the procedure improves the diagnostic yield. Larger-scale studies are warranted to confirm these results, and to further explore the clinical value of REBUS-TBNA., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Rationale: Conventional electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy and other guided bronchoscopic modalities have a very desirable safety profile, but their diagnostic yield is only 60-70% for pulmonary lesions. Recently, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) platforms have been introduced to improve the diagnostic performance of bronchoscopic modalities. Objectives: To determine the diagnostic performance and safety profile of RAB (using shape-sensing and electromagnetic navigation-based platforms) by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched to find studies that reported on the diagnostic performance and/or the safety profile of one of the RAB systems. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Meta-analysis was performed using MedCalc version 20.118. Pooled diagnostic yield was calculated using a Freeman-Tukey transformation. We planned to use a random-effects model if the I 2 index was >40%. Results: Twenty-five studies were included: 20 including diagnostic and safety analyses and 5 including only safety analyses. The pooled diagnostic yield of RAB (20 studies, 1,779 lesions) was 84.3% (95% confidence interval, 81.1-87.2%). The I 2 index was 65.6%. On the basis of our subgroup analyses, the heterogeneity was likely driven by differences in study designs (prospective vs. retrospective) and procedural protocols (such as different RAB systems). Lesion size > 2 cm, the presence of a computed tomography bronchus sign, and concentric radial endobronchial ultrasound view were associated with a statistically significant increase in the odds of diagnosis with RAB. The overall rates of pneumothorax, need for tube thoracostomy, and significant hemorrhage were 2.3%, 1.2%, and 0.5%, respectively. Conclusions: RAB systems have significantly increased the diagnostic yield of navigational bronchoscopy compared with conventional systems such as electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, but well-designed prospective studies are needed to better understand the impact of various factors, such as the use of three-dimensional imaging modalities, cryobiopsy, and specific ventilatory protocols, on the diagnostic yield of RAB.

Background: Traditional electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a real-time image-guided system and used with thick bronchoscopes for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules (PPNs). A novel ENB that could be used with thin bronchoscopes was developed. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic yield and the experience of using this ENB system in a real clinical scenario., Methods: This multicentre study enrolled consecutive patients with PPNs adopting ENB from March 2019 to August 2021. ENB was performed with different bronchoscopes, ancillary techniques and sampling instruments according to the characteristics of the nodule and the judgement of the operator. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic yield. The secondary endpoints included the diagnostic yield of subgroups, procedural details and complication rate., Results: In total, 479 patients with 479 nodules were enrolled in this study. The median lesion size was 20.9 (IQR, 15.9-25.9) mm. The overall diagnostic yield was 74.9% (359/479). A thin bronchoscope was used in 96.2% (461/479) nodules. ENB in combination with radial endobronchial ultrasound (rEBUS), a guide sheath (GS) and a thin bronchoscope was the most widely used guided method, producing a diagnostic yield of 74.1% (254/343). The median total procedural time was 1325.0 (IQR, 1014.0-1676.0) s. No severe complications occurred., Conclusion: This novel ENB system can be used in combination with different bronchoscopes, ancillary techniques and sampling instruments with a high diagnostic yield and safety profile for the diagnosis of PPNs, of which the combination of thin bronchoscope, rEBUS and GS was the most common method in clinical practice., Trial Registration Number: NCT03716284., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Many studies have reported electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) diagnostic yields and the importance of size and computed tomography (CT) bronchus sign. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of ENB alone, using forceps biopsy and cytology. We analyzed the factors associated with yield and complications according to gross specimen size. This retrospective study included patients who underwent ENB using forceps for suspected lung lesions on CT between January 2020 and December 2022 in South Korea. Factors related to the ENB diagnostic yield and complications were evaluated, and the impacts of gross specimen size and cytology were analyzed. A total of 276 patients were analyzed. The final diagnostic yield was 75.5% after excluding indeterminate cases. Sensitivity and specificity were 74.2% and 100%, respectively. Pneumothorax developed in 1.4% (4/276) of cases, with no grade 3 or higher bleeding. Univariable analysis showed that the number of biopsies and the size of the gross specimen were related to the diagnosis. Multivariable analyses showed that a larger lesion size on CT was a significant factor for diagnosis. The gross size of the specimens was not significantly associated with epinephrine use. ENB had acceptable diagnostic yield and safety for diagnosing lung lesions with suspected malignancy. Obtaining more tissue through biopsy may not increase bleeding or pneumothorax complications. Identifying patients with lesion characteristics, including CT bronchus sign, would help increase ENB diagnostic yield., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Objectives: Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) is a novel technique for the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions (PLLs). We aim to evaluate the clinical outcomes of TBCB using a new 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe for the diagnosis of PLLs., Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective observational pilot study on the diagnosis of PLLs (diameter ≤30 mm) by TBCB, using a 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe with radial endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS), virtual bronchoscopic navigation and fluoroscopy from December 2021 to July 2022. Primary outcome was the pathological diagnostic yield of TBCB, and secondary outcome was adverse event., Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled (mean lesion size, 21 mm). TBCB was performed in 49 patients up to three times except for the one with "invisible" finding on RP-EBUS. The overall diagnostic yield of TBCB was 90% (45/50). There was no difference in the diagnostic yield between size (20 mm vs. 20-30 mm; 88% [22/25] vs. 92% [23/25]; P = 1.000), RP-EBUS findings (concentric vs. others; 97% [28/29] vs. 81% [17/21]; P = 0.148), and acute angle location (apical segment of both upper lobes vs. others; 92% [12/13] vs. 89% [33/37]; P = 1.000). The cumulative diagnostic yields of the first, second, and third TBCB were 82% (41/50), 88% (44/50), and 90% (45/50), respectively. Mild bleeding was developed in 56% (28/50), and moderate bleeding was found in 26% (13/50)., Conclusion: TBCB using a 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe is an effective, reasonable method for the diagnosis of PLLs regardless of its size, RP-EBUS finding, and anatomical location without serious complication., Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.Gov (NCT05046093)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Computed tomography-guided transthoracic biopsy (CT-TTB) is the 'gold standard' biopsy for lung nodules. Radial-endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) bronchoscopy is another recommended biopsy but carries a lower diagnostic yield. Addition of cryobiopsy with R-EBUS (Cryo-Radial) has shown promising results. There are no studies comparing CT-TTB with Cryo-Radial biopsy., Aim: The co-primary aims were the diagnostic yeild and safety. The secondary aim: ability to test epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)., Methods: A randomised controlled, multicentre exploratory study was conducted at three tertiary hospitals. Patients with nodules >1 cm on CT of the chest were randomised to CT-TTB or Cryo-Radial. With Cryo-Radial, patients had 1-3 cryo-biopsies in addition to at least one R-EBUS biopsy through the 2.6 mm guide sheath., Results: Forty-eight patients were randomised: 22 to CT-TTB and 26 to Cryo-Radial. Sixteen in the CT-TTB and 20 in the Cryo-Radial received the allocated biopsy. The diagnostic yield was CT-TTB 93.8% (15/16) versus Cryo-Radial 85% (17/20) P = 0.61 and the odds ratio was 0.37. For 5/13 (38%), a diagnosis was solely made on cryobiopsy. Eleven (78%) of 14 in CT-TTB versus 7/10 (70%) Cryo-Radial were suitable for EGFR testing P = 0.66, with odds ratio 0.63. Pneumothorax occurrence was 44% (7/16) in CT-TTB versus 4.2% (1/24) in Cryo-Radial. Two (12.5%) of 16 CT-TTB required chest drain insertion., Conclusion: Cryo-Radial is comparable in diagnostic yield and ability to perform EGFR testing with a significantly lower risk of pneumothorax, compared with CT-TTB. Cryo-Radial has the additional advantage of mediastinal staging during the same procedure with Linear-EBUS and is a promising first-line tool in the diagnostic method of lung cancer., (© 2022 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Background: It is difficult to select patients who will benefit from endobronchial treatment (ET) in malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO). We aimed to determine the tumor-related factors that affect the success of MCAO treatment., Methods: ETs for MCAO between March 2019 and June 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The relationships between the success of the procedure and the percentage of endoluminal obstruction, tumor size, and type of lesion were evaluated., Results: Totally, 220 ETs were administered to 205 patients. Treatment was significantly more successful for the patients with pure endobronchial lesions than those with mixed lesions. The success rate was significantly lower when the tumor size was greater than 54.5 mm and the degree of endoluminal stenosis exceeded 92%; the area under the curve was 0.734 (0.625-0.842; P =0.001) and 0.733 (0.597- 0.870; P =0.001), respectively. There was no difference in the procedural success between lung cancer and extrathoracic malignancies and tumor treatment before the procedure., Conclusion: Mixed lesions, tumor size over 54.5 mm, and a degree of stenosis over 92% are risk factors for unsuccessful endoluminal obstruction procedures. These parameters should be considered when selecting patients for ET interventions., (© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure: There is no conflict of interest or other disclosures.

Introduction: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) and radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) are advanced imaging-guided bronchoscopy techniques for diagnosing pulmonary lesions. This study aimed to determine the comparative diagnostic yield of sole ENB and R-EBUS under moderate sedation., Methods: We investigated 288 patients who underwent sole ENB (n=157) or sole R-EBUS (n=131) under moderate sedation for pulmonary lesion biopsy between January 2017 and April 2022. After a 1:1 propensity score-matching to control for pre-procedural factors, the diagnostic yield, sensitivity for malignancy, and procedure-related complications between both techniques were compared., Results: The matching resulted in 105 pairs/procedure for analyses with balanced clinical and radiological characteristics. The overall diagnostic yield was significantly higher for ENB than for R-EBUS (83.8% vs. 70.5%, p=0.021). ENB demonstrated a significantly higher diagnostic yield than R-EBUS among those with lesions>20mm in size (85.2% vs. 72.3%, p=0.034), radiologically solid lesions (86.7% vs. 72.7%, p=0.015), and lesions with a class 2 bronchus sign (91.2% vs. 72.3%, p=0.002), respectively. The sensitivity for malignancy was also higher for ENB than for R-EBUS (81.3% vs. 55.1%, p<0.001). After adjusting for clinical/radiological factors in the unmatched cohort, using ENB over R-EBUS was significantly associated with a higher diagnostic yield (odd ratio=3.45, 95% confidence interval=1.75-6.82). Complication rates for pneumothorax did not significantly differ between ENB and R-EBUS., Conclusion: ENB demonstrated a higher diagnostic yield than R-EBUS under moderate sedation for diagnosing pulmonary lesions, with similar and generally low complication rates. Our data indicate the superiority of ENB over R-EBUS in a least-invasive setting., (Copyright © 2023 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Navigation bronchoscopy has seen rapid development in the past decade in terms of new navigation techniques and multi-modality approaches utilizing different techniques and tools. This systematic review analyses the diagnostic yield and safety of navigation bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules suspected of lung cancer., Methods: An extensive search was performed in Embase, Medline and Cochrane CENTRAL in May 2022. Eligible studies used cone-beam CT-guided navigation (CBCT), electromagnetic navigation (EMN), robotic navigation (RB) or virtual bronchoscopy (VB) as the primary navigation technique. Primary outcomes were diagnostic yield and adverse events. Quality of studies was assessed using QUADAS-2. Random effects meta-analysis was performed, with subgroup analyses for different navigation techniques, newer versus older techniques, nodule size, publication year, and strictness of diagnostic yield definition. Explorative analyses of subgroups reported by studies was performed for nodule size and bronchus sign., Results: A total of 95 studies (n = 10,381 patients; n = 10,682 nodules) were included. The majority (n = 63; 66.3%) had high risk of bias or applicability concerns in at least one QUADAS-2 domain. Summary diagnostic yield was 70.9% (95%-CI 68.4%-73.2%). Overall pneumothorax rate was 2.5%. Newer navigation techniques using advanced imaging and/or robotics(CBCT, RB, tomosynthesis guided EMN; n = 24 studies) had a statistically significant higher diagnostic yield compared to longer established techniques (EMN, VB; n = 82 studies): 77.5% (95%-CI 74.7%-80.1%) vs 68.8% (95%-CI 65.9%-71.6%) (p < 0.001).Explorative subgroup analyses showed that larger nodule size and bronchus sign presence were associated with a statistically significant higher diagnostic yield. Other subgroup analyses showed no significant differences., Conclusion: Navigation bronchoscopy is a safe procedure, with the potential for high diagnostic yield, in particular using newer techniques such as RB, CBCT and tomosynthesis-guided EMN. Studies showed a large amount of heterogeneity, making comparisons difficult. Standardized definitions for outcomes with relevant clinical context will improve future comparability., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The diagnostic yield of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) using radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS) is 71%, which is lower than that of transthoracic needle biopsy. We investigated the performance and safety of sequential transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBC) using a novel 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe, after conventional TBB using RP-EBUS for the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions (PLLs)., Materials and Methods: From April 2021 to November 2021, 110 patients who underwent bronchoscopy using RP-EBUS for the diagnosis of PLL ≤ 30 mm were retrospectively included in our study. All records were followed until June 2022., Results: The overall diagnostic yield of combined TBB and TBC was 79.1%, which was higher than 60.9% of TBB alone (p=0.005). The diagnostic yield of sequential TBC was 65.5%, which increased the overall diagnostic yield by 18.2%. The surface area of tissues by TBC (mean area, 18.5 mm2) was significantly larger than those of TBB by 1.5-mm forceps (3.4 mm2, p < 0.001) and 1.9-mm forceps (3.7 mm2, p=0.011). In the multivariate analysis, PLLs with the longest diameter of ≤ 22 mm were found to be related to additional diagnostic benefits from sequential TBC (odds ratio, 3.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.043 to 11.775; p=0.042). Complications were found in 10.5% of the patients: pneumothorax (1.0%), infection (1.0%), and significant bleeding (8.6%). None of the patients developed any life-threatening complications., Conclusion: Sequential TBC with a 1.1-mm cryoprobe improved the performance of conventional TBB using RP-EBUS without serious complications.

We present the case of a patient with severe complications from mediastinal bleeding after endosonographically guided transbronchial cryobiopsy (EBUS-TBKB) with suspected advanced lymphoma. The EBUS-TBKB is a new effective examination method in interventional pneumology for the diagnosis of diseases with mediastinal lymph node enlargement and intrathoracic tumors, with which large tissue cylinders in the mediastinum can be obtained. Due to the high diagnostic value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for the clarification of lymphadenopathy, the examination should not be carried out as a routine application. Indications for a primary EBUS-TBKB arise when there is a suspicion of intrathoracic malignant lymphomas or other rare tumors in which extensive unfragmented tissue material is required for diagnosis. A rare complication that has not yet been described in the literature is a hematomediastinum, so that a careful risk assessment of possible bleeding complications should be carried out before intervention and the more invasive mediastinoscopy can be a safer examination method., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

The aim of our study was to describe the incidence of infectious complications of endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and to analyze the potential risk factors in a prospective cohort of patients., Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter study, with all consecutive patients referred for an EBUS-TBNA with patients at risk of developing an infectious complication (considering>10 nodal samplings, known immunosuppression, bronchial colonization and cavitated or necrotic lesions) and a second group without any risk factor., Results: Three hundred seventy patients were included: 245 with risk factors and 125 without risk factors (as the control group). Overall, 15 patients (4.05%) presented an acute infectious complication: fourteen in cases (5.7%) and 1 in controls (0.8%). Of these, 4 patients presented pneumonia, 1 mediastinitis, 4 obstructive pneumonitis and 6 mild complications (respiratory tract infection that resolved with antibiotic). Also 7 (1.9%) patients had self-limited fever. One-month follow-up showed 1 mediastinitis at sixteenth day post-EBUS, which required surgical treatment, and 3 pneumonias and 3 respiratory tract infections at nineteenth day (1.9%). All patients had a good evolution and there were no deaths related with infectious complication. We observed an increased risk of complication in patients with risk factors and in patients with necrosis (p=0.018)., Conclusions: The incidence of infectious complications in a subgroup of patients with risk factors was higher than in patients without risk factors. Nevertheless, it remains low, and no fatal complication occurred, which reinforces the idea that EBUS-TBNA is a safe technique for the assessment of the mediastinum. Necrotic lesions are a risk factor of post-EBUS infection, and their puncture should be avoided., (Copyright © 2022 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Ultrathin bronchoscopy aids in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, both the working channel and the specimens are small. A 1.1-mm ultrathin cryoprobe that can enter the working channel of the ultrathin bronchoscope is now available, which may overcome the limitations of small specimen size. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of ultrathin bronchoscopic cryobiopsy using an ultrathin cryoprobe for diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions., Methods: Patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions ≤30 mm in diameter were prospectively enrolled in the study. All patients underwent forceps biopsy followed by cryobiopsy using a 3.0-mm ultrathin bronchoscope under radial probe endobronchial ultrasound guidance, virtual bronchoscopic navigation and fluoroscopic guidance. The primary endpoint was the feasibility of cryobiopsy., Results: In total, 50 patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions were enrolled in the study; the median longest diameter on computed tomography was 17.9 mm. Cryobiopsy was performed successfully in 49 patients (98%). Forceps biopsy, cryobiopsy and the combination of these two methods provided a specific diagnosis in 54% (27/50), 62% (31/50) and 74% (37/50) of patients, respectively. The median size of specimens obtained via cryobiopsy was significantly larger than the median size obtained via forceps biopsy (7.0 vs. 1.3 mm 2 , respectively, p < 0.001). Mild bleeding during cryobiopsy occurred in 47 patients (94%). No moderate/severe bleeding or pneumothorax occurred., Conclusion: Ultrathin bronchoscopic cryobiopsy is feasible, effective and sufficiently safe for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions., (© 2022 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

The diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) remains a challenge for physicians. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been applied in the diagnosis of PPLs, but its diagnostic rate varies widely. The systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to figure out the accuracy and safety of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of PPLs. We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for relevant studies published from January 1, 2000 to December 30, 2021 and used PICO (Participants, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) to worked out the diagnostic rate of EBUS-TBNA in PPLs. Two reviewers independently performed the data extraction and assessed study quality. Statistical analysis was carried out via R software. In 7 studies of totally 510 patients of PPLs, the overall EBUS-TBNA diagnosis yield is 0.75 (95% CI 0.67-0.84) by the random effect model. EBUS-TBNA showed a higher accuracy of 0.64 (95% CI 0.53-0.74) compared to 0.46 (95% CI 0.19-0.72) of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) when EBUS probe is adjacent to lesions. In the case of malignant lesions, the diagnostic rate of EBUS-TBNA is 0.79 (95% CI 0.72-0.88). Combined EBUS-TBNA with conventional bronchoscopy procedures showed the highest diagnostic yield (0.83 (95% CI 0.79-0.87)). Collectively, EBUS-TBNA should be performed firstly in patients with PPLs suspected to lung cancer especially when the EBUS probe was adjacent to the lesions. No serious procedure-related complications were observed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Transbronchial lung biopsy with radial endobronchial ultrasound (rEBUS-TBB) and Computed tomography (CT) scan-guided transthoracic biopsy (CT-TTB) are commonly used to investigate peripheral lung nodules but high-quality data are still not clear about the diagnostic and safety profile comparison of these two modalities., Method: We included all randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing rEBUS-TBB with a flexible bronchoscope and CT-TTB for solitary lung nodules. Two reviewers extracted data independently on diagnostic performance and complication rates., Results: 170 studies were screened, 4 RCT with a total of 325 patients were included. CT-TTB had a higher diagnostic yield than rEBUS-TBB (83.45% vs 68.82%, risk difference - 0.15, 95% CI, [- 0.24, - 0.05]), especially for lesion size 1-2 cm (83% vs 50%, risk difference - 0.33, 95% CI, [- 0.51, - 0.14]). For malignant diseases, rEBUS-TBB had a diagnostic yield of 75.75% vs 87.7% of CT-TTB. rEBUS-TBB had a significant better safety profile with lower risks of pneumothorax (2.87% vs 21.43%, OR = 0.12, 95% CI [0.05-0.32]) and combined outcomes of hospital admission, hemorrhage, and pneumothorax (8.62% vs 31.81%, OR 0.21, 95% CI, [0.11-0.40]). Factors increasing diagnostic yield of rEBUS were lesion size and localization of the probe but not the distance to the chest wall and hilum., Conclusion: CT-TTB had a higher diagnostic yield than rEBUS-TBB in diagnosing peripheral lung nodules, particularly for lesions from 1 to 2 cm. However, rEBUS-TBB was significantly safer with five to eight times less risk of pneumothorax and composite complications of hospital admission, hemorrhage, and pneumothorax. The results of this study only apply to flexible bronchoscopy with radial ebus without navigational technologies. More data are needed for a comparison between CT-TTB with rEBUS-TBB combined with advanced navigational modalities., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We explain to Dr. Govindasaami's several comments on our published article "Association between blood pressure and the risk of biopsy-induced endobronchial hemorrhage during bronchoscopy"., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Transbronchial cryobiopsy enables high-quality sample collection around the probe tip. Meanwhile, existing cryoprobes have less flexibility and a higher risk of bleeding. The ultrathin cryoprobe with a 1.1-mm diameter addresses these problems and allows specimens to be directly retrieved through the working channel of a thin bronchoscope., Objective: This study evaluated the diagnostic utility and safety of non-intubated cryobiopsy using an ultrathin cryoprobe added to conventional biopsy for diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs)., Methods: The data of patients who underwent conventional biopsy followed by non-intubated cryobiopsy to retrieve specimens through the thin bronchoscope's working channel for diagnosing PPLs at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital from July 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively collected. They were analyzed to evaluate the diagnostic utility and safety of adding non-intubated cryobiopsy to conventional biopsy for PPLs. The characteristics of PPLs that obtain additional diagnostic benefits from cryobiopsy over conventional biopsy were also investigated., Results: The analysis included 113 patients. The diagnostic yields of conventional biopsy and non-intubated cryobiopsy were 70.8% and 82.3%, respectively (p = 0.009). The total diagnostic yield was 85.8%, higher than conventional biopsy alone (p &lt; 0.001). Although one moderate bleeding occurred, no severe complications developed. The additional diagnostic benefits of non-intubated cryobiopsy over conventional biopsy were demonstrated when the radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) showed "adjacent to" (60.3% vs. 82.8%, p = 0.017)., Conclusions: Non-intubated cryobiopsy using an ultrathin cryoprobe has high diagnostic utility and safety for diagnosing PPLs, with additional diagnostic benefits over conventional biopsy depending on the R-EBUS image., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: To compare the diagnostic positive rate and complication rate between the electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) technique and computed tomography (CT)-guided lung puncture for the biopsy of lung nodules located in the middle of an anatomic lung segment., Methods: Electronic medical records of 114 patients who underwent lung nodule biopsy between June 2021 and June 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. In all patients, the nodules were located in the middle third lung segment. To compare the diagnostic positive and complication rates between the two biopsy modalities performed in this lung region, clinical data, complication rates, nodule pathology, and imaging results were reviewed based on nodule characteristics retrieved from the electronic medical records., Results: Ninety-three patients underwent CT-guided lung puncture, while the remaining 21 patients underwent the ENB technique. No significant difference was observed in the diagnostic positive rate between the two groups (73.6 and 76.1%, respectively). In the CT-guided lung puncture group, pneumothorax incidence, tube placement, postoperative hemorrhage, and symptomatic hemorrhage rates were 16.1, 6.5, 6.5, and 1.1%, respectively. In contrast, no complications occurred in the ENB group., Conclusions: The ENB technique is a safe and effective method for performing biopsies of pulmonary nodules with a diagnostic positive rate comparable to that of CT-guided lung puncture and with a lower postoperative complication rate., (© 2022 The Authors. Thoracic Cancer published by China Lung Oncology Group and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Lung cancer is usually diagnosed at advanced stage and systematic therapy is administered. New current diagnostic techniques such as the convex-endobronchial ultrasound, radial endobronchial ultrasound, cone beam ct, electromagnetic navigation and robotic bronchoscopy provide us with a high diagnostic yield. These techniques are minimal invasive and patients with comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure can be diagnosed with minimal adverse effects. All these techniques provide sufficient sample for molecular investigation. Since immunotherapy was first administered, we have more and more information regarding the appropriate patient target group. Several published studies divided patients as elderly ≥75 and non-elderly ≤74 and investigated the adverse effects of different drugs and survival. In our current commentary we present information on patients receiving immunotherapy versus chemoimmunotherapy in two groups of elderly and non-elderly. Elderly patients can receive both combinations without differences between the two groups, however; more studies are needed to clarify certain aspects., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: In thoracic surgery practice, bronchial closure and anastomosis are relatively easy in technical terms; however, it is also the procedure that is most open to the development of complications with high morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of simultaneous evaluation of bronchial closure under fiberoptic bronchoscopy guidance during lung resection on the development of complications., Materials and Methods: Patients aged over 18 years who underwent elective lung resection in our clinic between 2017 and 2021 were included in the study. Postoperative complications were recorded and statistically analyzed., Results: The mean age of the patients was 61.4±10.4 years, and 267 patients were male (75.4%) and 87 (24.6%) were female. Thoracotomy was performed in 258 (72.9%) patients and lung resection with the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery technique in 96 (27.1%) patients. During the follow-up, complications were observed during the first 30 days in 78 (22.0%) of the patients and later in 9 (2.5%). Surgical mortality occurred in 11 patients (3.1%), and the rate of readmission to the intensive care unit was 5.6% (n=20)., Conclusion: We consider that the control of the resection line with the active use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy during surgery is important for the prevention of the development of bronchial morbidity. Complications in the early period can be reduced by ensuring that the remaining bronchus is not narrowed, there are no residual stump structures that may disrupt the bronchial line, such as cartilage, and bronchial washing is frequently undertaken., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO) is a debilitating and life-limiting complication that occurs in an unfortunately large number of individuals with advanced intrathoracic cancer. Although the management of MCAO is multimodal and interdisciplinary, the task of providing patients with prompt palliation falls increasingly on the shoulders of interventional pulmonologists. While a variety of tools and techniques are available for the management of malignant obstructive lesions, advancements and evolution in this therapeutic venue have been somewhat sluggish and limited when compared with other branches of interventional pulmonary medicine (e.g., the early diagnosis of peripheral lung nodules). Indeed, one pragmatic, albeit somewhat uncharitable, reading of this article's title might suggest a wry smile and shug of the shoulders as to imply that relatively little has changed in recent years. That said, the spectrum of interventions for MCAO continues to expand, even if at a less impressive clip. Herein, we present on MCAO and its endoscopic and nonendoscopic management-that which is old, that which is new, and that which is still on the horizon., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Post-bronchoscopy pneumonia can affect the prognosis of lung cancer patients. This prospective study examined the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics for lung cancer patients at high-risk of post-bronchoscopy pneumonia, determined by our prediction score, using three risk factors: age 70 years or older, current smoking, and central tumors visualized on CT., Methods: Patients with lung cancer who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy between June 2018 and March 2020 with a score of 2 points or higher were enrolled. Sulbactam/ampicillin was administered intravenously within one hour prior to bronchoscopy, followed by oral clavulanate/amoxicillin for three days. We used the data of lung cancer patients who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy between April 2012 and July 2014 and exhibited a score of 2 or higher as the historical control., Results: Post-bronchoscopy pneumonia occurred in none of the 24 patients in the prophylaxis group and in 17 of 144 patients in the control group, with no significant difference in the incidence of pneumonia between the two groups., Conclusions: Antibiotic prophylaxis can be effective and safe for the patients high-risk of post-bronchoscopy pneumonia. A multicenter prospective study to examine the effects of prophylactic antibiotics in high-risk patients is feasible with a modest number of participants.

Introduction: Interventional bronchoscopy is now the standard treatment for tracheobronchial narrowing due to tumor. The objective of our study was to analyze long-term survival and complications occurring in patients with malignant airway obstruction., Methods: We retrospectively studied the data from 93 patients treated between 2008 and 2019., Results: One hundred and eleven therapeutic bronchoscopies were performed. Sixty-seven patients had primary lung cancer, in 17 had tumors of another origin and 9 patients had benign or local lung tumors. Thulium laser was frequently used prior to tumor enucleation and to restore hemostasis. Seventy-one silicone stents were inserted. The death rate at the time of the procedure was 1.8% and immediate complication occurred in 9.9% of the patients. Long-term survival was significantly better for patients with cancer from other origins than in those with primary lung cancer (615.5days versus 177.9days). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in long-term survival between patients with locally advanced and metastatic lung cancer with endobronchial lesions treated by stent and those who were not (234.2days versus 164.6days). All patients with benign or with locally malignant tumors were still alive., Conclusion: Therapeutic bronchoscopy increases the long-term survival of patients with malignant airway obstruction. The risk-benefit ratio was favorable., (Copyright © 2022 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) with fused fluoroscopy and vessel mapping provides a point of entry (POE) for puncturing airway wall to biopsy lesions. The study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this technology to diagnose peripheral pulmonary lesions., Methods: It was a prospective, single-arm, multicentre study. Patients underwent lesions biopsy with the Archimedes® VBN System via a POE using one of the two techniques: (1) bronchoscopic transparenchymal nodule access (BTPNA) and (2) guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA). Biopsy yield, sampling yield and diagnostic yield were mainly determined in lesions biopsy attempted., Results: One hundred and thirty patients underwent anaesthesia and constituted the intention-to-treat population. One hundred and four patients with 114 lesions had biopsy attempted. Mean lesion size was 2.4 ± 1.13 cm. Sufficient tissue samples were obtained from 86 lesions with a biopsy yield of 75.4%. Nevertheless, sufficient samples for diagnosis based on histology ± cytology were obtained from 107 lesions with a sampling yield of 93.9%. Follow-up was conducted for more than 1 year, with a diagnostic yield of 75.4% and 72.8%, respectively, on high and low estimate with consideration of three lesions without follow-up. Two (1.9%) pneumothoraxes and one (1.0%) mild bleeding occurred., Conclusion: BTPNA and guided TBNA contribute to safe and effective sampling of peripheral pulmonary lesions. A relatively high biopsy yield was obtained independent of the presence or absence of a bronchus sign (BS), and high sampling yield and diagnostic yield were obtained independent of location, lesion size and presence or absence of a BS., (© 2022 The Authors. Respirology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a frequently used method for obtaining tissue samples for the diagnosis of various respiratory conditions, including lung cancer staging. In most cases, EBUS-TBNA is performed under moderate sedation (MS). However, in cases of respiratory compromised patients, if this procedure is performed, it is conducted under general anesthesia (GA)., Objectives: To assess the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA among respiratory compromised patients., Methods: Data of consecutive patients (n=191) who underwent EBUS-TBNA at our medical center between January 2019 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Respiratory compromised patients underwent GA and patients without respiratory compromise were mostly moderately sedated (MS). Characteristics, diagnostic yield, and complication rates were compared., Results: Diagnostic yield was similar between the two sedation modes (89% in GA group and 78% in the MS group, P = 0.11). The number of total samples obtained per procedure was significantly higher in the GA vs. the MS group (4.1 ± 2.1 vs. 2.1 ± 1.33, P < 0.01). The overall complication rate was 13% and 20.9% in the GA vs. the MS groups, respectively (P = 0.14), with the most frequent complication being minor bleeding. Interestingly, while the number of brushings, bronchoalveolar lavage, and endobronchial biopsy were similar, the percent of subjects who underwent transbronchial biopsy was significantly higher in the GA group (49% vs. 24.2%, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: EBUS-TBNA performed under GA among respiratory compromised patients is safe and has similar diagnostic yield to that of patients without a respiratory compromise.

Background: In advanced lung cancer, precision medicine requires repeated biopsies via bronchoscopy at therapy change. Since bronchoscopies are often stressful for patients, sedation using both fentanyl and midazolam is recommended in Europe and America. In Japan, bronchoscopies are generally orally performed under midazolam and oropharyngeal anesthesia. Nasal intubation creates a physiological route to the trachea, causing less irritation to the pharynx than intubation via the oral cavity; however, the necessity of oropharyngeal anesthesia remains unclear. We aimed to compare the safety, patient discomfort, and diagnostic rates for oropharyngeal anesthesia and sedation with pethidine and midazolam (Group A) and sedation with midazolam and fentanyl without oropharyngeal anesthesia (Group B) for ultrathin bronchoscopy of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) via nasal intubation., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 74 consecutive potential lung cancer patients who underwent ultrathin bronchoscopies at the Hakodate Goryoukaku Hospital between July 2019 and June 2020. We reviewed the following: diagnostic rates; cumulative doses of lidocaine, midazolam, and fentanyl; hemodynamic changes; procedural complications in both groups. Pharyngeal anesthesia in group A was administered by spraying 2% (w/v) lidocaine into the pharynx. The chi-squared test was used for statistical analyses., Results: There were no significant changes in hemodynamic parameters and complications. The mean level of discomfort for bronchoscopic examinations was significantly lower in Group B (2.39 vs. 1.64; P = 0.014), with no significant inter-group difference in the diagnostic yields for PPLs (63.0% vs. 71.4%; P = 0.46)., Conclusions: Our findings indicate the advantages of sedation with fentanyl and midazolam without oropharyngeal anesthesia for ultrathin bronchoscopy through nasal intubation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: New therapeutic drugs have been developed for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients has improved. However, resistance to these drugs is a concern, and re-biopsy is necessary to determine the mechanism of drug resistance. There are many reports about the protocols for re-biopsy, including techniques such as bronchoscopy and computed tomography-guided needle biopsy (CTNB); however, there is no consensus on which method is optimal. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed the bronchoscopy and CTNB re-biopsies conducted at our hospital., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 79 cases of re-biopsies with bronchoscopy or CTNB in patients with NSCLC from January 2014 to December 2016 at our institute., Results: Forty-nine cases of bronchoscopy and 30 cases of CTNB were taken for re-biopsy. The diagnostic rates of bronchoscopy and CTNB were 83.7% and 100%, respectively (p = 0.023). The complication rates of bronchoscopy and CTNB were 18.4% and 36.7%, respectively (p = 0.11), with a statistically significant difference in the incidence of pneumothorax (0% vs. 23.3%, respectively; p < 0.01). Pneumothorax required drainage in 6.7% of all CTNB cases. There were no fatalities in either group., Conclusions: CTNB showed a higher diagnostic rate; however, it was associated with a higher rate of complications such as pneumothorax. Hence, the optimal modality must be determined individually for each patient., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bronchoscopy using radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is performed when a peripheral lung lesion (PLL) is suspected to be malignant. However, pulmonary tuberculosis is diagnosed in some patients, and healthcare workers could therefore be exposed to tuberculosis if sufficient precautions are not taken. In this study, we examined the proportion of and factors associated with unexpected exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis during bronchoscopy using radial probe EBUS., Methods: This retrospective study included 970 patients who received bronchoscopy using radial probe EBUS between December 2015 and November 2018. Clinical, histological, radiological, and microbiological data were reviewed., Results: Pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed in 31 patients (3.2%) during bronchoscopy using radial probe EBUS. Patients with a lower age were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with tuberculosis than elderly patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.951; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.924-0.978; P = 0.001). Among the various CT findings, a low HUs difference between pre- and post-enhanced CT (OR, 0.976; 95% CI, 0.955-0.996; P = 0.022), the presence of concentric cavitation (OR, 5.211; 95% CI, 1.447-18.759; P = 0.012), and the presence of satellite centrilobular nodules (OR, 22.925; 95% CI, 10.556-49.785; P < 0.001) were independently associated with diagnosis of tuberculosis., Conclusions: The proportion of unexpected exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis during bronchoscopy using radial probe EBUS was 3.2%. A higher risk was independently associated with a younger age and CT findings of a small difference in HUs between pre- and post-enhancement images, concentric cavitation, and the presence of a satellite centrilobular nodule., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a minimally invasive technology for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules. However, ENB is limited by the lack of real-time confirmation of various biopsy devices. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) could increase diagnostic yield by allowing real-time confirmation to overcome the inherent divergence of nodule location., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield of ENB plus CBCT as compared with ENB alone for biopsy of peripheral lung nodules., Method: We conducted a retrospective study of patients undergoing ENB before and after the implementation of CBCT. Data from 62 consecutive patients with lung nodules located in the outer two-thirds of the lung who underwent ENB and combined ENB-CBCT were collected. Radial endobronchial ultrasound was used during all procedures as well. Diagnostic yield was defined as the presence of malignancy or benign histological findings that lead to a specific diagnosis., Results: Thirty-one patients had ENB-CBCT, and 31 patients had only ENB for peripheral lung lesions. The median size of the lesion for the ENB-CBCT group was 16 (interquartile range (IQR) 12.6-25.5) mm as compared to 21.5 (IQR 16-27) mm in the ENB group (p = 0.2). In the univariate analysis, the diagnostic yield of ENB-CBCT was 74.2% and ENB 51.6% (p = 0.05). Following multivariate regression analysis adjusting for the size of the lesion, distance from the pleura, and presence of bronchus sign, the odds ratio for the diagnostic yield was 3.4 (95% CI 1.03-11.26, p = 0.04) in the ENB-CBCT group as compared with ENB alone. The median time for the procedure was shorter in patients in the ENB-CBCT group (74 min) than in those in the ENB group (90 min) (p = 0.02). The rate of adverse events was similar in both groups (6.5%, p = 0.7)., Conclusions: The use of CBCT might increase the diagnostic yield in ENB-guided peripheral lung nodule biopsies. Future randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm such findings., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: The lobar airway stenting remains an endoscopic procedure not well standardized in patients with locally advanced lung cancer disease. The goal of this study was to evaluate technical feasibility, clinical outcome, and complications of different stents in patients with malignant lesions involving lobar bronchi, primary and secondary carina., Methods: Between November 2008 and October 2013, we retrospectively analyzed 146 patients with benign and malignant tracheobronchial stenosis who underwent airway stent insertion below main carina and main bronchi., Results: In all, 170 airway stenting procedures were performed on 146 patients. In all, 51 of them with malignant peripheral airway stenosis underwent stents placement below main carina. In all but one patient, the deployment of stents was successful with improvement of symptoms. The chest radiograph after the procedure detected the lung re-expansion in 29 of 51 patients. The mean follow-up duration was 123 days ± 157. Complications observed included stent migration, tumor overgrowth, infections, granulation tissue formation, and obstruction due to tenacious secretions. Longer survival was observed in patients who received additional treatment after airway stenting compared to those who did not (p <0.01)., Conclusions: Stenting of lobar bronchi and primary or secondary carina is technically feasible, effective, and acceptably safe.

Background: Bronchoscopy is a useful tool for the diagnosis of lesions near central airways; however, the diagnostic accuracy of these procedures for peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) is a matter of ongoing debate. In this setting, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a technique used to navigate and obtain samples from these lesions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to explore the sensitivity of ENB in patients with PPLs suspected of lung cancer., Research Question: In patients with peripheral pulmonary lesion suspected of lung cancer, what is the sensitivity and safety of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy compared to surgery or longitudinal follow up?, Study Design and Methods: A comprehensive search of several databases was performed. Extracted data included sensitivity of ENB for malignancy, adequacy of the tissue sample, and complications. The study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool, and the combined data were meta-analyzed using a bivariate method model. A summary receiver operatic characteristic curve (sROC) was created. Finally, the quality of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach., Results: Forty studies with a total of 3,342 participants were included in our analysis. ENB reported a pooled sensitivity of 77% (95% CI, 72%-82%; I 2  = 80.6%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 99%-100%; I 2  = 0%) for malignancy. The sROC showed an area under the curve of 0.955 (P = .03). ENB achieved a sufficient sample for ancillary tests in 90.9% (95% CI, 84.8%-96.9%; I 2  = 80.7%). Risk of pneumothorax was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.0-3.0; I 2  = 45.2%). We found subgroup differences according to the risk of bias and the number of sampling techniques. Meta-regression showed an association between sensitivity and the mean distance of the sensor tip to the center of the nodule, the number of tissue sampling techniques, and the cancer prevalence in the study., Interpretation: ENB is very safe with good sensitivity for diagnosing malignancy in patients with PPLs. The applicability of our findings is limited because most studies were done with the superDimension navigation system and heterogeneity was high., Trial Registry: PROSPERO; No.: CRD42019109449; URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Japan Society for Respiratory Endoscopy performed a nationwide survey to evaluate the current status and complications of bronchoscopy. Data on deaths due to bronchoscopy, complications after bronchoscopy, and particularly, complications of forceps biopsy were surveyed., Methods: The survey form was mailed to 532 facilities accredited by the society. The numbers of procedures, complications, and deaths were investigated., Results: The response rate was 79.1% (421 facilities). Deaths attributable to diagnostic bronchoscopy occurred in 11 (0.011%) of 98,497 cases.In regards to forceps biopsy, the guide sheath method was applied in 23,916 cases and the conventional method in 31,419 cases was done with conventional method. Complications of forceps biopsy developed in 1019 cases in total, with an incidence rate of 1.84%. The most frequent complication was pneumothorax (0.70%), followed by pneumonia/pleurisy (0.46%) and hemorrhage (0.45%). The incidence of hemorrhagic complication was significantly lower in the guide sheath group than in the non-guide sheath group (0.29% vs. 0.58%; P<0.001). The overall incidence of complications (1.63% vs. 2.00%; P=0.002) and the mortality rate (0% vs. 0.02%; P=0.04) were significantly lower in the guide sheath group., Conclusion: The incidence of hemorrhagic complications in forceps biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions was lower when the guide sheath method was applied. It is necessary to increase the awareness for safety control in diagnostic bronchoscopy for new procedures.

Introduction: Lung cancer is accountable for 35 000 deaths annually, and prognosis is improved when the cancer is diagnosed early. CT-guided biopsy (transthoracic needle aspiration, TTNA) and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) can be used to investigate indeterminate pulmonary nodules if the patient is unfit for surgery. However, there is a paucity of clinical and health economic evidence that directly compares ENB with TTNA in this population group. This cost-effectiveness study aimed to explore potential scenarios whereby ENB may be considered cost-effective when compared with TTNA., Methods: A cohort decision analytic model was developed using a UK National Health Service perspective. ENB was assumed to have equal sensitivity to TTNA at 82%. Lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain were calculated to estimate the net monetary benefit at a £20 000 per QALY threshold. Sensitivity analyses were used to explore scenarios where ENB could be considered a cost-effective intervention., Results: Under the assumption that ENB has equal efficacy to TTNA, ENB was found to be dominant (less costly and more effective) when compared with TTNA, due to having a reduced risk and cost of adverse events. This conclusion was most sensitive to changes in the cost of intervention, estimates of effectiveness and adverse event rates., Discussion: ENB is expected to be cost-effective when the likelihood of an accurate diagnosis is equal to (or better than) TTNA, which may occur in certain subgroups of patients in whom TTNA is unlikely to accurately diagnose malignancy or when an experienced practitioner achieves a high accuracy with ENB., Competing Interests: Competing interests: VP and SM are employees of York Health Economics Consortium who were commissioned by Medtronic to provide consultancy, develop the economic model and write the manuscript. CL and PM are employees of Medtronic., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: There remains debate over the best invasive diagnostic modality for mediastinal nodal evaluation. Prior studies have limited generalizability and insufficient power to detect differences in rare adverse events. We compared the risks and costs of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided nodal aspiration and mediastinoscopy performed for any indication in a large national cohort., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study (2007-2015) with MarketScan, a claims database of individuals with employer-provided insurance in the United States. Patients who underwent multimodality mediastinal evaluation (n = 1,396) or same-day pulmonary resection (n = 2,130) were excluded. Regression models were used to evaluate associations between diagnostic modalities and risks and costs while adjusting for patient characteristics, year, concomitant bronchoscopic procedures, and lung cancer diagnosis., Results: Among 30,570 patients, 49% underwent EBUS. Severe adverse events-pneumothorax, hemothorax, airway/vascular injuries, or death-were rare and invariant between EBUS and mediastinoscopy (0.3% vs 0.4%; P = .189). The rate of vocal cord paralysis was lower for EBUS (1.4% vs 2.2%; P < .001). EBUS was associated with a lower adjusted risk of severe adverse events (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.32-0.55) and vocal cord paralysis (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.54-0.60). The mean cost of EBUS was $2,211 less than mediastinoscopy ($6,816 vs $9,023; P < .001). After adjustment this difference decreased to $1,650 (95% CI, $1,525-$1,776)., Conclusions: When performed as isolated procedures, EBUS is associated with lower risks and costs compared with mediastinoscopy. Future studies comparing the effectiveness of EBUS vs mediastinoscopy in the community at large will help determine which procedure is superior or if trade-offs exist., (Copyright © 2019 American College of Chest Physicians. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: The diagnostic yield of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is inferior to that of computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy for pulmonary nodules. One explanation for this is divergence between the nodule location on the pre-procedure CT scan and its actual location during the procedure. Fluoroscopic ENB (F-ENB) consists of digital tomosynthesis using a conventional C-arm to re-register the target lesion based on near real-time imaging. We performed a retrospective review of ENB cases at our institution before and after introduction of F-ENB to assess diagnostic yield., Methods: All consecutive ENB procedures performed at our institution from 25 December 2017 to 25 August 2018 were reviewed. F-ENB was introduced on 25 April 2018. Two cohorts were analysed: standard ENB (S-ENB) from 25 December 2017 to 24 April 2018 and F-ENB from 25 April 2018 to 25 August 2018. All procedural, demographic and diagnostic data were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, Wilcoxon test and Student's t-test were used where appropriate. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with diagnostic yield., Results: A total of 101 and 67 nodules were biopsied in the S-ENB and F-ENB groups, respectively. Diagnostic yield was 54% in S-ENB cohort and 79% in the F-ENB group (P = 0.0019). Factors independently associated with a positive diagnosis were F-ENB and a positive radial ultrasound view (odds ratio (OR): 3.57, 95% CI: 1.56-8.18 and OR: 3.74, 95% CI: 1.37-11.05, respectively). Complications were minimal (pneumothorax: 1.5%)., Conclusion: The use of F-ENB may increase the diagnostic yield of ENB and has a low complication rate., (© 2019 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Bronchoscopy is the safest procedure for lung cancer diagnosis when an invasive evaluation is required after imaging procedures. However, its sensitivity is relatively low, especially for small and peripheral lesions. We assessed benefits and costs of introducing a bronchial gene-expression classifier (BGC) to improve the performance of bronchoscopy and the overall diagnostic process for early detection of lung cancer. We used discrete-event simulation to compare clinical and economic outcomes of two different strategies with the standard practice in former and current smokers with indeterminate nodules: (i) location-based strategy-integrated the BGC to the bronchoscopy indication; (ii) simplified strategy-extended use of bronchoscopy plus BGC also on small and peripheral lesions. Outcomes modeled were rate of invasive procedures, quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs), costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Compared to the standard practice, the location-based strategy (i) reduced absolute rate of invasive procedures by 3.3% without increasing costs at the current BGC market price. It resulted in savings when the BGC price was less than $3,000. The simplified strategy (ii) reduced absolute rate of invasive procedures by 10% and improved quality-adjusted life expectancy, producing an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $10,109 per QALY. In patients with indeterminate nodules, both BGC strategies reduced unnecessary invasive procedures at high risk of adverse events. Moreover, compared to the standard practice, the simplified use of BGC for central and peripheral lesions resulted in larger QALYs gains at acceptable cost. The location-based is cost-saving if the price of classifier declines., (© 2019 UICC.)

Pulmonary infection is a relatively rare but serious complication of flexible bronchoscopy. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for pulmonary infectious complications after diagnostic bronchoscopy in patients with lung cancer. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 636 patients who underwent bronchoscopic biopsy for lung cancer diagnosis between April 2011 and March 2016. We compared patients' characteristics, chest computed tomography and bronchoscopic findings, undertaken procedures, and final diagnoses between patients who developed the complication and those who did not. Pulmonary infection after the diagnostic bronchoscopy occurred in 19 patients (3.0%) and included pneumonia in 16 patients and lung abscess in 3. Patients with larger lesions, presence of endobronchial lesions, histology of small cell lung cancer, and advanced disease stage tended to develop pulmonary infectious complications more often. Our multivariate analysis revealed that a larger lesion size and the presence of endobronchial lesions were independently associated with post-bronchoscopy pulmonary infection. Although we found no mortality associated with the infections, two patients were left with significant performance status deterioration after the pulmonary infection and received no anticancer treatment. In conclusion, endobronchial lesions and a larger lesion size are independent risk factors for the incidence of infections following bronchoscopic biopsy in patients with lung cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

A 69-year-old woman underwent bronchoscopy because of a suspected lung tumour. Within 2 hours after bronchoscopy, the patient developed facial purpura. Based on clinical assessment and histopathological images, we established the diagnosis of post-bronchoscopy purpura. This is a benign, self-limiting complication. Within 5 days after bronchoscopy, the purpura disappeared.

Background: Virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath (EBUS-GS) has reduced the difficulty and even avoiding radiation exposure during performing transbronchus lung biopsy (TBLB). To evaluate the feasibility and safety of virtual bronchoscopic navigation assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath for peripheral pulmonary lesions., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients with PPLs who received VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB in Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2016 to December 2017. Their clinicopathologic data and complications were assessed., Results: A total of 121 patients were enrolled in the study. The patients included 65 men and 56 women, with a mean age of (58.8±10.3) years. A total of 121 PPLs were examined, and 108 lesions of which could be detected by EBUS. The overall diagnostic yield of EBUS-GS was 73.5%. The diagnostic yield of malignancy was 82.5%. The combination of transbronchial lung biopsy, brush smear and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid provided the greatest diagnostic yield (χ²=6.084, P=0.014). Factors that significantly affected and predicted diagnostic success were EBUS probe within the lesions (χ²=20.372, P=0.000) and PPLs located in the central two-thirds of the lung (χ²=10.810, P=0.001). 1 patient (0.8%) suffered from intraoperative bleeding which could be managed under endoscopy., Conclusions: VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB for PPLs was an effective and safe procedure.

Importance: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services added lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) as a Medicare preventive service benefit in 2015 following findings from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) that showed a 16% reduction in lung cancer mortality associated with LDCT. A challenge in developing and promoting a national lung cancer screening program is the high false-positive rate of LDCT because abnormal findings from thoracic imaging often trigger subsequent invasive diagnostic procedures and could lead to postprocedural complications., Objective: To determine the complication rates and downstream medical costs associated with invasive diagnostic procedures performed for identification of lung abnormalities in the community setting., Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study of non-protocol-driven community practices captured in MarketScan Commercial Claims & Encounters and Medicare supplemental databases was conducted. A nationally representative sample of 344 510 patients aged 55 to 77 years who underwent invasive diagnostic procedures between 2008 and 2013 was included., Main Outcomes and Measures: One-year complication rates were calculated for 4 groups of invasive diagnostic procedures. The complication rates and costs were further stratified by age group., Results: Of the 344 510 individuals aged 55 to 77 years included in the study, 174 702 comprised the study group (109 363 [62.6%] women) and 169 808 served as the control group (106 007 [62.4%] women). The estimated complication rate was 22.2% (95% CI, 21.7%-22.7%) for individuals in the young age group and 23.8% (95% CI, 23.0%-24.6%) for those in the Medicare group; the rates were approximately twice as high as those reported in the NLST (9.8% and 8.5%, respectively). The mean incremental complication costs were $6320 (95% CI, $5863-$6777) for minor complications to $56 845 (95% CI, $47 953-$65 737) for major complications., Conclusions and Relevance: The rates of complications after invasive diagnostic procedures were higher than the rates reported in clinical trials. Physicians and patients should be aware of the potential risks of subsequent adverse events and their high downstream costs in the shared decision-making process.