Needle puch biopsy in the pathologic diagnosis of chest diseases: an evaluation

Abrams needle was used to obtain a punch biopsy specimen from 14 patients with diffuse and localized lung diseases, 27 patients with pleural disease and seven patients with tumours of the chest wall with the aim to evaluate our experience with this procedure. The indications, technique, limitations and complications of the procedure were discussed and the results were analysed and compared with those reported by the different authors in the literature. It was found that Abrams needle punch biopsy of the lung, pleura and rib swellings is a simple and safe procedure that has a low complication rate and a high diagnostic yield. It is justifiable to recommend its use as an investigative tool in the diagnosis of parietal and visceral diseases of the chest