ABSTRACT
A study on 30 patients with pleural effusion had been carried out to evaluate the usefulness of visceral pleural biopsy using fenestrated cup biopsy forceps in comparison with parietal pleural biopsy using the Abrams, needle and fluid cytology with its complications. Cytological examination of the pleural fluid revealed the diagnosis in 6 cases [20%]. Parietal pleural biopsy by the Abram needle estalished the diagnosis in 13 cases [43.3%] whether the visceral pleural biopsy using fenestrated cup biopsy forceps established the diagnosis in 11 cases [36.6%]. Final-diagnosis was achieved in 18 cases [60%] and 12 cases [40%] remained undiagnosed fourteen cases of them were malignant conditions [3 cases of mesothelioma and 11 cases of metastatic malignant conditions] and 4 cases of tuberculosis. Complications were observed in 7 cases [23.3%]. Six cases developed a small bronchopleural fistula [20%] which was absorbed spontaneously requiring no further management and one case [3.33%] developed a large bronchopleural fistula that required intercostal tube drainage followed by pleurodesis by autologous blood