ABSTRACT
Cryosurgical techniques are employed for diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy and serve as important tools for the management of pulmonary diseases. The diagnosis of interstitial lung disease requires multidisciplinary team discussions after a thorough assessment of history, physical exam, computed tomography, and lung-function testing. However, histological diagnosis is required in selected patients. Surgical lung biopsy has been the gold standard but this can be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy is an emerging technique and multiple studies have shown that it has a high diagnostic yield with a good safety profile. There is wide procedural variability and the optimal technique for cryobiopsy is still under investigation. There is emerging data that demonstrate that cryobiopsy is safe and highly accurate in the diagnosis of thoracic malignancies. Furthermore, cryorecanalization procedures are a useful adjunct for the palliation of tumors in patients with central airway obstruction. One should keep in mind that these procedures are not free from complications and should be carried out in a specialized center by a trained and experienced bronchoscopy team. We present a review of the literature on the diagnostic and therapeutic utility of bronchoscopy-guided cryosurgical procedures and their safety profile.
ABSTRACT
Pleural effusions (PEs) are frequently encountered in routine clinical practice, affecting more than 3000 people per million population every year. Heart and liver failures are two of the most common causes of transudative PE. Because these effusions have nonmalignant etiologies, they are commonly referred to as benign effusions despite of the poor prognosis they foretell in their refractory stages. Like malignant effusions, symptom management is important and plays a significant role in palliation when these effusions become refractory to medical therapy.
