Survey of the large animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine regarding percutaneous lung biopsy in the horse

A survey designed to obtain information on the indications, contraindicatio ns, complications, and methodology of percutaneous lung biopsy in the horse was sent to large animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Sixty-five of 190 diplomates returned the survey (respon se rate: 34%) and 59 of these 65 respondents (91%) indicated that they work ed with horses. Forty-four diplomates had performed a percutaneous lung bio psy in 1 or more horses (ie 75% of those diplomates working with horses and 68% of total respondents). Clinical and radiologic diagnoses that prompted diplomates to perform percutaneous lung biopsy in the horse included a pul monary miliary pattern (93%), suspicion of pulmonary infiltrative disease ( 91%), suspicion of pulmonary neoplasia (91%), suspicion of chronic obstruct ive pulmonary disease (COPD) (20%), and suspicion of exercise-induced pulmo nary hemorrhage (EIPH) (7%). Only one of the respondents reported the use o f percutaneous lung biopsy in the diagnostic workup if pneumonia was suspec ted, but 11% of respondents reported that suspicion of pulmonary abscessati on would prompt them to perform a percutaneous lung biopsy. In contrast, a variable percentage of respondents felt there were contraindications to per formance of this technique, which included neonatal septicemia (68%), pulmo nary abscessation (65%), pleuropneumonia (55%) and pneumonia (42%), EIPH (4 1%), and COPD (26%). No respondent indicated that suspicion of neoplasia wa s a contraindication to percutaneous biopsy. Most common complications obse rved by respondents were epistaxis (68% of respondents), putative pulmonary hemorrhage (52%), tachypnea (39%), and respiratory distress (32%). Ten of 44 respondents (23%) had not seen any complications with percutaneous lung biopsy. Forty-two of 44 respondents (96%) warned owners about possible comp lications before performing percutaneous lung biopsy. All respondents to th is question reported that they would perform percutaneous lung biopsies in horses in the future, but 4 of 41 would use the procedure only as a last re sort.