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Introduction: Endobronchial biopsy using forceps is generally performed with a standard bronchoscope, while a needle is used with an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscope. An EBUS video bronchoscope, such as the EB-530US instrument (Fujifilm, Tokyo, Japan), provides good visibility and may, therefore, enable both forceps biopsies and needle aspirations to be performed., Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of performing forceps biopsies and needle aspirations using the EBUS video bronchoscope for diagnosing endobronchial lesions., Methods: Seventy patients with suspected endobronchial lesions based on a computed tomography scan were recruited and underwent forceps biopsy using the EB-530US EBUS bronchoscope. If the result of a rapid on-site cytological evaluation was negative, an additional needle aspiration of the same lesion or other target lesions was performed. The primary outcome was the completion rate of bronchoscopy, using only the EBUS bronchoscope without removal., Results: In the 70 patients, forceps biopsies and/or needle aspirations using the EBUS video bronchoscope were performed and completed without removing the EBUS bronchoscope in 67 patients (95.7%). The remaining three patients required the removal of the EBUS bronchoscope from the trachea (blood clot obstruction of the working channel in one patient and change to a thin bronchoscope to sample an EBUS bronchoscope-inaccessible lesion in two others). The EBUS bronchoscope provided diagnostic material in 66 patients (94.3%). One case each of bleeding and pneumonia were observed (1.4%)., Conclusion: Both forceps biopsy and needle aspiration are feasible using a Fujifilm EB-530US EBUS video bronchoscope., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The literature about endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is still very prolific although it was introduced in the early 1980s. We aimed to review last decade's scientific production and to compare it with our earlier data about the period from 1980 to 2000. EUS publications of the period January 2001 to January 2010 were retrieved. Reviews, prospective, and retrospective studies, randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, surveys, guidelines, and case-series were assessed. Data were collected on the subject-matter, type of publication, number of patients included, publishing journal, most recent impact factor, year of publication, and country accredited for publication. A total of 1763 relevant papers were published in more than 250 journals. The main areas of research were pancreatic disorders, tumors of the gastrointestinal wall, the extrahepatic biliary tree, submucosal lesions, lung cancer, and mediastinal masses. It is interesting to note that the therapeutic applications of EUS accounted for a new field of investigation. The majority of articles comprised retrospective trials and reviews, followed by prospective studies and case series. However, a considerable number of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses was retrieved, which were absent in the earlier survey. United States, Europe, and Japan still possessed a pivotal role on EUS research, but an increasing number of publications has also emerged from other countries. The available literature on EUS keeps expanding, encompassing not only its well-established diagnostic role, but also novel indications and therapeutic interventions. EUS has evolved into a valuable implement of modern clinical practice, with a critical effect on patients' management. A trend toward well-structured studies is evident.