Endobronchial ultrasound‑guided intranodal forceps biopsy (EBUS‑IFB) using 19G needle tract: First case series from India.

EBUS‑TBNA is a well‑established procedure for diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy replacing the need for mediastinoscopy. In certain diseases like lymphomas, the yield is reportedly 50%, sarcoidosis lymph nodes also give a yield of 80% with EBUS and at times, more material is needed for better characterization of malignancies. EBUS‑intranodal forceps biopsy may be useful in these situations. In our series of seven cases, we describe a unique and safe technique of obtaining forceps biopsy from mediastinal lymph nodes under real‑time endobronchial ultrasound guidance using a 19G EBUS‑TBNA needle tract and thin biopsy forceps. Lymph node biopsy was able to give a conclusive diagnosis in 42% patients negative with TBNA, and was able to suggest a diagnosis in one case. No complications were seen. Thus, surgical biopsy can be avoided in nearly 50% of failed EBUS‑FNAC cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]