| Summary: | Hanaa Shafiek,1 Shaimaa Elbialy,1 Samar Nabil El Achy,2 Ahmed Youssef Shaaban Gad11Chest Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; 2Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptCorrespondence: Hanaa ShafiekChest Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, El-Khartoom Square, Alexandria 21526, EgyptTel +20 109 590 7320Email whitecoat_med@yahoo.comObjectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and diagnostic utility of transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) in diagnosing diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) in an Egyptian population and to identify common DPLD pathologies among them.Methods: This prospective interventional study enrolled 25 Egyptian patients presenting to the Main Alexandria University Hospital who had clinical and radiological features of DPLD, but insufficient elements to achieve definite features of usual interstitial pneumonia on chest high-resolution computed tomography. Twelve patients were subjected to TBCB and 13 to forceps transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB).Results: The diagnostic yield was significantly higher among the TBCB group (83.3%), and increased to 100% with clinicopathological correlation vs the TBLB group (38.5%, P=0.041). Granulomatous diseases (24%, either sarcoidosis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis) were the commonest pathology, followed by malignancy (12%) in both groups. TBCB sizes were 2.5–5 mm vs 1-3 mm in TBLB (P<0.001), with preserved tissue architecture (91.7% vs 38.5%, respectively; P=0.011). Only 8.3% were complicated by insignificant bleeding grade 2 after TBCB, but no pneumothorax was detected.Conclusion: TBCB is a safe, tolerable procedure with high diagnostic yield for evaluating DPLD with indefinite usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on high-resolution computed tomography.Keywords: interstitial lung diseases, bronchoscopy and interventional techniques, pathology
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