Endoscopic ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy in the hands of the pulmonologist

Abstract

The use of the endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) endoscope in the oesophagus, the so-called EUS-B procedure, for the diagnosis and staging of thoracic malignancy is quickly gaining ground. Pleural lesions located close to the oesophagus can be inaccessible to transthoracic biopsy and endoscopic procedures can be the only option. We here present two cases demonstrating that EUS-B-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) of pleural lesions is possible. The first case demonstrates a EUS-B-FNA with malignant mesothelioma of a pleural lesion in a 70-year-old patient. In the second case, EUS-B-FNA diagnosed a pleural metastasis from adenoid cystic adenocarcinoma in a 75-year-old-patient. In conclusion, we hereby demonstrate that EUS-B-FNA from pleural lesions is feasible and appears to be safe.