TRANSTRACHEAL NEEDLE ASPIRATION

A series of 27 transtracheal needle aspiration biopsies performed on 2 5 patients were reviewed. A rigid bronchoscope and rigid needle were u sed. The biopsies were performed as staging procedures in patients wit h bronchogenic carcinoma, or to obtain diagnoses in patients with medi astinal adenopathy. A cytopathologist attended 11 biopsies and microsc opically examined a direct smear to determine adequacy. Repeat biopsie s were taken at the time if necessary. A diagnosis was obtained in 9/1 1 (81%) of these cases. Only 3/16 biopsies (18.8%) performed in the ab sence of a pathologist were diagnostic. All negative cases were subseq uently found to have disease (2 sarcoidosis, 13 cancer) by other metho ds including mediastinoscopy in 5 cases. In the patient group sampled, the technique of rigid needle and rigid bronchoscope with a cytopatho logist in attendance resulted in a much higher sensitivity for the tes t than has been previously reported. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.