Complication rate of endosonography (endobronchial and endoscopic ultrasound): a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Endosonography [endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration] is increasingly used for lung cancer staging and the assessment of sarcoidosis. Serious adverse events (SAE) have been reported in case reports, but the true incidence of complications is yet unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess the rate of SAE related to endosonography and to investigate associated risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane libraries were searched for eligible references up to April 2012 and these included studies reporting on linear EUS or EBUS for the analysis of mediastinal/hilar nodal or central intrapulmonary lesions. Case series describing complications were excluded. Reported complications were classified into SAE or minor adverse events (AE). RESULTS: 190 studies met the inclusion criteria. Information on follow-up was missing in half of the studies. In 16,181 patients, 23 SAE (0.14%) and 35 AE (0.22%) were reported. No mortality was observed. SAE were more frequent in patients investigated with EUS (0.30%) than in those investigated with EBUS (0.05%). Infectious SAE were most prevalent (0.07%) and predominantly occurred in patients with cystic lesions and sarcoidosis. In lung cancer patients, complications were rare. DISCUSSION: Endosonography for intrathoracic nodal assessment seems safe for lung cancer patients and mortality has not been reported. For cystic lesions and sarcoidosis, there may be a small, but nonnegligible risk of infectious complications. The true incidence of SAE might be higher as accurate documentation of complications is missing in most studies.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes is increasingly used to detect noncaseating granulomas in patients with suspected sarcoidosis. The optimal needle size and tissue processing method for detecting noncaseating granulomas are debated. We assessed the value of cell-block analysis when added to conventional cytological evaluation of EUS aspirates obtained by 22-gauge needles in patients with stage I and II sarcoidosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 101 consecutive patients (55 % of whom had previously had a nondiagnostic bronchoscopy) with suspected pulmonary sarcoidosis (stage I and II), who underwent EUS-FNA of mediastinal lymph nodes with 22-gauge needles were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The sensitivity of EUS in detecting granulomas was 87 % (cytology and cell-block analysis together) (stage I, 92 %; stage II, 77 %). In 33 % of cytology negative patients (n = 6), granulomas were present in the cell block. The optimal yield for granuloma detection was reached with four needle passes. One patient developed mediastinitis after EUS-FNA. CONCLUSIONS: Cell-block analysis added to conventional cytological evaluation of 22-gauge EUS aspirates, results in a high yield in detecting granulomas in patients with suspected sarcoidosis and reduces the false-negative rate substantially. EUS has a considerably higher yield in stage I compared with stage II sarcoidosis. For an optimal yield, four needle passes are required.

EUS-FNA in the preoperative staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: According to current guidelines, transesophageal ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) can be performed as an alternative for surgical staging to confirm mediastinal metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To date however, data regarding the routine use of EUS-FNA in the preoperative staging of unselected patients with NSCLC are limited. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) To evaluate the diagnostic value of EUS-FNA in consecutive, patients with NSCLC regardless of nodal size at CT. (2) To determine the impact of EUS-FNA on the prevention of surgical staging procedures. (3) To assess the accuracy of mediastinal staging by combining EUS-FNA and mediastinoscopy. (4) To investigate whether a subgroup of patients exists that can be accurately staged by EUS-FNA alone. METHODS: 152 consecutive operable patients with proven or suspected NSCLC who underwent EUS-FNA were retrospectively analyzed. In the absence of mediastinal metastases, mediastinoscopy and/or thoracotomy with lymph node dissection was performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of mediastinal metastases was 49%. Sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of EUS-FNA for N2/N3 disease were 74%, 73% and 85% respectively, whereas these values for the combined staging of EUS-FNA and mediastinoscopy were 92%, 85% and 95%. Additional surgical staging in patients staged N0 at EUS-FNA reduces the false negative EUS-findings by 55%. The NPV of EUS-FNA for left-sided tumors was 68%. EUS-FNA prevented surgical staging procedures in 60 of 152 patients (39%). No major complications occurred during EUS-FNA. CONCLUSION: Routine use of EUS-FNA in unselected patients with NSCLC reduces the need for surgical staging procedures in nearly half of patients. Additional surgical staging in patients without nodal metastases at EUS-FNA reduces the false negative EUS-FNA findings considerably regardless of the location of the primary lung tumor.