NEEDLE ASPIRATION LUNG-BIOPSY - REEVALUATION OF THE BLOOD PATCH TECHNIQUE IN AN EQUINE MODEL

PURPOSE: To reexamine the blood patch technique in a laboratory model of lung biopsy free of confounding clinical variables. MATERIALS AND M ETHODS: An equine model of lung biopsy was developed with an excised l obe connected to an insufflation bulb and pressure monitor. Patched an d control unpatched punctures were made in the lung surface, and the p ressure within the lung was raised to the maximum achievable. Whether air leakage from the puncture sites could be induced was determined an d, if so, at what pressure it occurred. RESULTS: At statistical analys is with the Kaplan-Meier test and the Cox proportional hazards regress ion model, the difference between failure of the patched and unpatched punctures was statistically significant (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The blood patch technique is effective in the laboratory setting and deser ves reevaluation in a clinical series with updated biopsy techniques.