Pleural biopsy needle

Pleural needle biopsy is a relatively common and safe technique for diagnosing pleural diseases. Pleural needle biopsy is commonly used in clinical practice for unexplained pleural effusion, pleural thickening and pleural nodules. The main complication is pneumothorax. The Abrams pleural biopsy needle is currently the most commonly used pleural biopsy needle. Next, let’s take a closer look at the pleural needle biopsy technique and the Abrams pleural biopsy needle.

Needle pleural biopsy

Needle pleural biopsy, alias: pleural needle biopsy; pleural needle biopsy; pleural needle biopsy procedure. Needle pleural biopsy is a simple, easy and relatively safe method for diagnosing pleural diseases. The Abrams pleural biopsy needle is currently used more frequently. Pneumothorax is the most common complication, with an incidence of 6% to 8%. The patient should be closely observed for 0.5 to 1 hour after puncture, especially for changes in breath sounds. A chest X-ray may be performed if necessary, and the patient can be discharged only if no abnormalities are found.

Indications

Needle pleural biopsy is indicated for:

1. Unexplained pleural effusion, which cannot be diagnosed after repeated pleural effusion examinations.

2. Pleural thickening or nodules of unknown cause.

Contraindications

1. Patients with coagulation disorder or bleeding tendency.

2. Patients with severe pulmonary insufficiency, accompanied by pulmonary bullae or extremely poor general condition.

3. Empyema.

Preoperative preparation

The Abrams puncture needle consists of three parts: ① outer sleeve; ② inner sleeve; ③ needle core. The internal incision cannula can be tightly inserted into the outer cannula needle, and the two can be fixed by a switch. There is a slot on the side of the outer sleeve near the needle tip. When the needle is inserted, the slots are staggered to make it closed. When the specimen is taken, the slot is exposed and the specimen is obtained by cutting and sealing.

Anesthesia and positioning

The patient is seated and local anesthesia is used. The puncture point is usually selected between the 8th and 9th intercostal space at the scapular line.

Surgical procedures

Make a 3mm long vertical skin incision at the puncture site, insert the puncture biopsy needle into the pleural cavity, remove the needle core, and install a syringe to collect the pleural effusion specimen. Then rotate the inner cannula to expose the slot of the outer cannula, turn to the side or bottom, gently pull back to make the tissue embed into the slot, close the inner cannula to cut the tissue into the needle, remove the puncture needle, and take the cut tissue out of the inner cannula for inspection. If the sample is not satisfactory, the operation can be repeated to obtain sufficient specimens.

Postoperative care

Pneumothorax is the most common complication, with an incidence of 6% to 8%. The patient should be closely observed for 0.5 to 1 hour after puncture, especially for changes in breath sounds. A chest X-ray may be performed if necessary, and the patient can be discharged only if no abnormalities are found.