Yield of transbronchial needle aspiration of mediastinal lymph nodes of 36 cases

BackgroundBesides clarifying the etiology of unidentified lymphadenomegaly, puncturing hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes by a flexible bronchoscopic needle is an aid in diagnosing and staging bronchogenic cancer or other metastatic cancers and diagnosing other inflammatory diseases i.e. sarcoidosis tuberculosis.ObjectiveOur study had the principal objective to evaluate the positivity of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA).MethodWe retrospectively reviewed 36 patients using bronchoscopy and histopathological reports and corresponding patients chart over 3 years from January, 2009 to December, 2012 at the department of chest disease at Mansoura University.ResultsA total of 38 underwent FFB procedures. 2 (5%) patients were excluded due to incomplete follow up data.The yield of TBNA was positive in 22 patients (61%), of them 9 patients (25%) were positive for malignancy and 13 patients (36%) were diagnosed as inflammatory disease i.e. tuberculosis or sarcoidosis.Only 3 patients (8%) had documented bleeding after TBNA and, bleeding stopped spontaneously. No mortality was reported due to this procedure.ConclusionOur study indicated that this method is safe, easy to perform, with a minimum of complications and useful for the diagnosis and staging of pulmonary neoplasms and mediastinal lymph node enlargement.