Closed pleural biopsy; Needle biopsy of the pleura
What the risks are:
There is a slight chance of the needle puncturing the wall of the lung, which can produce a partial collapse of the lung. This usually resolves on its own. There is a chance of excessive blood loss.
Special considerations:
If a closed pleural biopsy is unsuccessful at making a diagnosis, surgical biopsy of the pleura may be required in some cases.
References:
Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000:1926-1927.
Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:725.
Review Date: 3/2/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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