Current Practices Supporting Rigid Bronchoscopy-An International Survey.

BACKGROUND: There are no guidelines for anesthesia or staff support needed during rigid bronchoscopy (RB). Identifying current practice patterns for RB pertinent to anesthesia, multidisciplinary teams, and algorithms of intra and post-procedural care may inform best practice recommendations. METHODS: Thirty-three-question survey created obtaining practice patterns for RB, disseminated via email to the members of the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology and the American College of Chest Physicians Interventional Chest Diagnostic Procedures Network. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-five clinicians participated. Presence of a dedicated interventional pulmonology (IP) suite correlated with having a dedicated multidisciplinary RB team ( P =0.0001) and predicted higher likelihood of implementing team-based algorithms for managing complications (39.4% vs. 23.5%, P =0.024). A dedicated anesthesiology team was associated with the increased use of high-frequency jet ventilation ( P =0.0033), higher likelihood of laryngeal mask airway use post-RB extubation ( P =0.0249), and perceived lower rates of postprocedural anesthesia adverse effects ( P =0.0170). Although total intravenous anesthesia was the most used technique during RB (94.29%), significant variability in the modes of ventilation and administration of muscle relaxants was reported. Higher comfort levels in performing RB are reported for both anesthesiologists ( P =0.0074) and interventional pulmonologists ( P =0.05) with the presence of dedicated anesthesia and RB supportive teams, respectively. CONCLUSION: Interventional bronchoscopists value dedicated services supporting RB. Multidisciplinary dedicated RB teams are more likely to implement protocols guiding management of intraprocedural complications. There are no preferred modes of ventilation during RB. These findings may guide future research on RB practices.

Incidence and Location of Atelectasis Developed During Bronchoscopy Under General Anesthesia: The I-LOCATE Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the many advances in peripheral bronchoscopy, its diagnostic yield remains suboptimal. With the use of cone-beam CT imaging we have found atelectasis mimicking lung tumors or obscuring them when using radial-probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS), but its incidence remains unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the incidence, anatomic location, and risk factors for developing atelectasis during bronchoscopy under general anesthesia? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study in which patients undergoing peripheral bronchoscopy under general anesthesia were subject to an atelectasis survey carried out by RP-EBUS under fluoroscopic guidance. The following dependent segments were evaluated: right bronchus 2 (RB2), RB6, RB9, and RB10; and left bronchus 2 (LB2), LB6, LB9, and LB10. Images were categorized either as aerated lung ("snowstorm" pattern) or as having a nonaerated/atelectatic pattern. Categorization was performed by three independent readers. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were enrolled. The overall intraclass correlation agreement among readers was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.71-0.89). Median time from anesthesia induction to atelectasis survey was 33 min (range, 3-94 min). Fifty-one patients (89%; 95% CI, 78%-96%) had atelectasis in at least one of the eight evaluated segments, 45 patients (79%) had atelectasis in at least three, 41 patients (72%) had atelectasis in at least four, 33 patients (58%) had atelectasis in at least five, and 18 patients (32%) had atelectasis in at least six segments. Right and left B6, B9, and B10 segments showed atelectasis in > 50% of patients. BMI and time to atelectasis survey were associated with increased odds of having more atelectatic segments (BMI: OR, 1.13 per unit change; 95% CI, 1.034-1.235; P = .007; time to survey: OR, 1.064 per minute; 95% CI, 1.025-1.105; P = .001). INTERPRETATION: The incidence of atelectasis developing during bronchoscopy under general anesthesia in dependent lung zones is high, and the number of atelectatic segments is greater with higher BMI and with longer time under anesthesia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT03523689; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Preoperative Pulmonary Evaluation.

The preanesthesia evaluation is an opportunity to elucidate a patient's underlying medical disease, determine if the patient is optimized, treat modifiable conditions, screen for potentially unrecognized disorders, and present the clear picture of the patient's overall risk for perioperative complications. This article presents the preoperative assessment of pulmonary patients in 2 sections. First, the components of a thorough assessment of patients presenting for preanesthesia evaluation, which should occur for all patients, regardless of the presence of pulmonary pathology, are discussed. Then, the considerations unique to patients with pulmonary diseases commonly encountered are described.

Safety of Pleuroscopy Performed in Negative Pressure Bronchoscopy Rooms.

BACKGROUND: The use of pleuroscopy has expanded over the last decade due to its higher diagnostic yield and low complications rate. Whether the infectious complications of pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms is similar to that of pleuroscopy performed in positive pressure rooms remain unclear. To assess the safety of pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms, we sought to determine the rate of infectious complications in patients who underwent pleuroscopy in negative pressure bronchoscopy rooms at our institution. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent pleuroscopy in our institution's negative pressure bronchoscopy rooms between January 2005 and January 2018. The primary outcome was the incidence of infectious complications at 14 and 30 days after the procedure. RESULTS: We identified 318 patients. Of the 318 patients, 47 (15%) had hematological malignancies, 118 (37%) had lung cancer, 121 (38%) had solid non-lung cancers, and 32 (10%) had no cancer diagnosis before the procedure. At the end of pleuroscopy, 255 patients (80%) had an indwelling pleural catheter placed, 63 patients (20%) had only a chest tube placed, and 31 patients (9%) had both an indwelling pleural catheter and chest tube placed. No patients developed empyema within 14 days. Three patients (0.9%) developed empyema within 30 days after the procedure and was presumed to be due to pleural catheter infection in all cases. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms has a low incidence of infectious complications, provided that proper sterile precautions are maintained.

Safety of Monitored Anesthesia Care Using Propofol-Based Sedation for Pleuroscopy.

BACKGROUND: The optimal approach to sedation for pleuroscopy remains undefined. Propofol is the favored sedative-hypnotic for many proceduralists but has a narrow therapeutic window and the risk for oversedation is high. Propofol-based sedation administered by anesthesiologists and the routine use of end-tidal capnography and bispectral index (BIS) monitoring may attenuate risks of complications. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of monitored anesthesia care for pleuroscopy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent pleuroscopy. The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of anesthesia complications in patients undergoing pleuroscopy. Hypoxia was defined as oxygen saturation of less than 90% for 2 min and hypotension was defined as the need for vasopressors. RESULTS: Of 199 enrolled patients, there were no significant complications attributed directly to anesthesia. Minor complications included hypoxia in 9 patients (4.5%), hypotension in 76 patients (38.2%), and insertion of a nasopharyngeal tube airway in 2 patients (1.0%). There was no significant difference in anesthesia-related complications between those with BIS monitoring and those without. Lower mean oxygen saturations (p = 0.028) and hypoxia (p = 0.021) were found in patients receiving the combination of propofol plus narcotics plus sedatives compared to those receiving propofol only, propofol plus narcotics or propofol plus sedatives. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that pleuroscopy using propofol with end-tidal capnography monitoring, with or without BIS monitoring, is safe and effective. The combination of propofol with narcotics and sedatives is associated with more hypoxia and lower mean oxygen saturation compared with propofol alone, propofol plus narcotics or propofol plus sedatives.

Diagnostic performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided mediastinal lymph node sampling in early stage non-small cell lung cancer: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Standard nodal staging of lung cancer consists of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), followed by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) if PET/CT shows mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA in patients with N0/N1 disease by PET/CT is unclear and largely based on retrospective studies. We assessed the sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA in this setting. METHODS: We enrolled patients with proven or suspected lung cancer staged as N0/N1 by PET/CT and without metastatic disease (M0), who underwent staging EBUS-TBNA. Primary outcome was sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA compared with a composite reference standard of surgical stage or EBUS-TBNA stage if EBUS demonstrated N2/N3 disease. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were included in the analysis. Mean tumour size was 3.52 cm (±1.63). Fifteen of 75 patients (20%) had N2 disease. EBUS-TBNA identified six while nine were only identified at surgery. Sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA for N2 disease was 40% (95% CI: 16.3-67.7%). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients with N0/N1 disease by PET/CT had N2 disease (20%) and EBUS-TBNA identified a substantial fraction of these patients, thus improving diagnostic accuracy compared with PET/CT alone. Sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA however appears lower compared with historical data from patients with larger volume mediastinal disease. Therefore, strategies to improve EBUS-TBNA accuracy in this population should be further explored.

Non-specific pleuritis in patients with active malignancy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pleuroscopy is the test of choice for patients with suspected malignant pleural effusion and negative cytology. Biopsies negative for malignancy are frequently attributed to non-specific pleuritis, which poses a dilemma in patients with a known active malignancy, raising concern for a false-negative result. Our primary objective was to determine the outcomes of patients with active malignancy who had a non-malignant diagnosis on pleuroscopy. METHODS: Retrospective review of all pleuroscopy cases from January 2005 to January 2015 at our institution was conducted. Biopsies were categorized by histopathology as malignant, eosinophilic or non-specific pleuritis. Malignant histopathology was considered a true positive. Eosinophilic or non-specific pleuritis was categorized as malignant, if malignancy was later identified during follow-up, or chemotherapy induced, possible radiation induced, other paramalignant, other benign or idiopathic. RESULTS: Of the 199 pleuroscopy cases reviewed, 172 (86%) had a history of active malignancy. On histopathology, 73 (42%) had malignancy, 9 (5%) had eosinophilic pleuritis and 90 (52%) had non-specific pleuritis. Three patients with non-specific pleuritis were diagnosed with malignancy at follow-up. Pleuritis in 24 patients was chemotherapy induced, 27 were possibly radiation induced, 11 were other paramalignant and 3 were other benign. Idiopathic pleuritis was diagnosed in 31 patients. Patients were monitored for a mean of 23 ± 11 months. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of malignant pleural disease was lower than expected for our patient population. Patients with no malignancy on histopathology were most likely to have non-specific pleuritis, a cause for which was identified in a majority of patients after clinical review.

Combined pleuroscopy and endobronchial ultrasound for diagnosis and staging of suspected lung cancer.

The standard approach to staging of lung cancer in patients with pleural effusion (clinical M1a) is thoracentesis followed by pleural biopsies if the cytologic analysis is negative. If pleural biopsy findings are negative, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is used to complete the staging process and, in some cases, obtain diagnosis. In this case series we report 7 patients in which a combined procedure was performed for staging of known or suspected lung cancer. We found that the combined approach was both feasible and safe in this case series.

Pleural Touch Preparations and Direct Visualization of the Pleura during Medical Thoracoscopy for the Diagnosis of Malignancy.

RATIONALE: During diagnostic thoracoscopy, talc pleurodesis after biopsy is appropriate if the probability of malignancy is sufficiently high. Findings on direct visual assessment of the pleura during thoracoscopy, rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) of touch preparations (touch preps) of thoracoscopic biopsy specimens, and preoperative imaging may help predict the likelihood of malignancy; however, data on the performance of these methods are limited. OBJECTIVES: To assess the performance of ROSE of touch preps, direct visual assessment of the pleura during thoracoscopy, and preoperative imaging in diagnosing malignancy. METHODS: Patients who underwent ROSE of touch preps during thoracoscopy for suspected malignancy were retrospectively reviewed. Malignancy was diagnosed on the basis of final pathologic examination of pleural biopsy specimens. ROSE results were categorized as malignant, benign, or atypical cells. Visual assessment results were categorized as tumor studding present or absent. Positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) findings were categorized as abnormal or normal pleura. Likelihood ratios were calculated for each category of test result. RESULTS: The study included 44 patients, 26 (59%) with a final pathologic diagnosis of malignancy. Likelihood ratios were as follows: for ROSE of touch preps: malignant, 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-4.34); atypical cells, 0.69 (95% CI, 0.21-2.27); benign, 0.11 (95% CI, 0.01-0.93); for direct visual assessment: tumor studding present, 3.63 (95% CI, 1.32-9.99); tumor studding absent, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.09-0.64); for PET: abnormal pleura, 9.39 (95% CI, 1.42-62); normal pleura, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.11-0.52); and for CT: abnormal pleura, 13.15 (95% CI, 1.93-89.63); normal pleura, 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15-0.54). CONCLUSIONS: A finding of no malignant cells on ROSE of touch preps during thoracoscopy lowers the likelihood of malignancy significantly, whereas finding of tumor studding on direct visual assessment during thoracoscopy only moderately increases the likelihood of malignancy. A positive finding on PET and/or CT increases the likelihood of malignancy significantly in a moderate-risk patient group and can be used as an adjunct to predict malignancy before pleurodesis.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided diagnosis of pulmonary artery tumor embolus.

A patient diagnosed with pulmonary embolism had persistent symptoms despite adequate therapy. Tissue sampling with endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration revealed endovascular metastasis from a prior early-stage colorectal cancer. We describe the challenges in the diagnosis and workup of suspected tumor emboli.

Randomized trial of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration under general anesthesia versus moderate sedation.

RATIONALE: Data about the influence of the type of sedation on yield, complications, and tolerance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) are based mostly on retrospective studies and are largely inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the type of sedation influences the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA, its complication rates, and patient tolerance. METHODS: Patients referred for EBUS-TBNA were randomized (1:1) to undergo this procedure under general anesthesia (GA) or moderate sedation (MS). Pathologists were blinded to group allocation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The main outcome was "diagnostic yield," defined as the percentage of patients for whom EBUS-TBNA rendered a specific diagnosis. One hundred and forty-nine patients underwent EBUS-TBNA, 75 under GA and 74 under MS. Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics were well balanced. Two hundred and thirty-six lymph nodes (LNs) and six masses were sampled in the GA group (average, 3.2 ± 1.9 sites/patient), and 200 LNs and six masses in the MS group (average, 2.8 ± 1.5 sites/patient) (P = 0.199). The diagnostic yield was 70.7% (53 of 75) and 68.9% (51 of 74) for the GA group and MS group, respectively (P = 0.816). The sensitivity was 98.2% in the GA group (confidence interval, 97-100%) and 98.1% in the MS group (confidence interval, 97-100%) (P = 0.979). EBUS was completed in all patients in the GA group, and in 69 patients (93.3%) in the MS group (P = 0.028). There were no major complications or escalation of care in either group. Minor complications were more common in the MS group (29.6 vs. 5.3%) (P < 0.001). Most patients stated they "definitely would" undergo this procedure again in both groups (P = 0.355). CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA performed under MS results in comparable diagnostic yield, rate of major complications, and patient tolerance as under GA. Future prospective multicenter studies are required to corroborate our findings. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01430962).

Safety of flexible bronchoscopy, rigid bronchoscopy, and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in patients with malignant space-occupying brain lesions.

BACKGROUND: Bronchoscopy in patients with space-occupying brain lesions is anecdotally felt to carry a high risk of neurologic complications. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with evidence of a malignant, space-occupying brain lesion who were referred for flexible or rigid bronchoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of neurologic complications following the procedures in these patients. RESULTS: Of the 103 enrolled patients, flexible bronchoscopy was performed in 41, rigid bronchoscopy in 12, and EBUS-TBNA in 50. Among these patients, 41 (40%) had evidence suggestive of increased intracranial pressure on imaging. Among all study patients, none (95% CI, 0-0.035) had neurologic, procedure-specific, or sedation-specific complications, and the level of care was not escalated in any of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our findings, we recommend that procedures such as flexible or rigid bronchoscopy or EBUS-TBNA in patients with malignant space-occupying brain lesions should be considered reasonably safe as long as neurologic findings are stable.

Bronchoscopic findings and bleeding control predict survival in patients with solid malignancies presenting with mild hemoptysis.

BACKGROUND: Regardless of its volume, hemoptysis is a concerning symptom. Mild hemoptysis and its significance in patients with solid malignancies has not been studied. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with solid malignancies who presented for evaluation of mild hemoptysis. In this population, we studied the impact of bronchoscopic findings and endobronchial therapies on overall survival and bleeding recurrence. Patients were categorized into four groups on the basis of the presence or absence of active bleeding and endobronchial disease at the time of initial bronchoscopy: active bleeding with endobronchial lesion (AB/EBL), active bleeding without endobronchial lesion (AB/no-EBL), absence of active bleeding but with endobronchial lesion (no-AB/EBL), and absence of active bleeding and endobronchial lesion (no-AB/no-EBL). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Ninety-five of the 112 patients with solid malignancies and mild hemoptysis underwent bronchoscopies. There was a significantly lower median survival time for patients with bronchoscopic findings of active bleeding and endobronchial lesion compared with patients with no active bleeding and/or no endobronchial lesion (3.48 mo; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.14-6.05). On a multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with improved survival were higher hemoglobin values (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.91) and cessation of hemoptysis without recurrence at 48 hours (HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22-0.84). Variables independently associated with worse survival were disease stage (HR, 10.8; 95% CI, 2.53-46.08) and AB/EBL (HR, 3.20; 95% CI, 1.74-5.89). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with solid malignancies presenting with mild hemoptysis, bronchoscopic findings of AB/EBL are associated with decreased survival. Hemoptysis control without recurrence at 48 hours after endobronchial intervention may improve survival.

Quality gaps and comparative effectiveness in lung cancer staging: the impact of test sequencing on outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based guidelines recommend mediastinal sampling as the first invasive test in patients with suspected lung cancer and mediastinal adenopathy. The goal of this study was to assess practice patterns and outcomes of diagnostic strategies in this patient population. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients in 2009 who had mediastinal adenopathy without distant metastatic disease to determine whether guideline-consistent care was delivered. Guideline-consistent care was defined as mediastinal lymph node sampling being performed as part of the first invasive procedure. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven patients were included. Guideline-consistent care was provided in 30 cases (22%). Patients receiving guideline-consistent care had fewer invasive tests than patients with guideline-inconsistent care (1.3 ± 0.5 tests/patient vs 2.3 ± 0.5 tests/patient, respectively; P < .0001) and fewer complications (0 of 30, 0% vs 18 of 108, 17%; P = .01). Most of the complications (16 of 18) were related to CT image-guided needle biopsy. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) was sufficient to guide treatment decisions without any other invasive tests in 88 patients (64%). Although not all the complications and costs due to CT image-guided biopsies could have been avoided, roughly two-thirds could have been eliminated by just changing the testing sequence. CONCLUSION: Quality gaps in lung cancer staging in patients with mediastinal adenopathy are common and lead to unnecessary testing and increased complications. In patients with suspected lung cancer without distant metastatic disease with mediastinal adenopathy, EBUS-TBNA should be the first test.

Stents are associated with increased risk of respiratory infections in patients undergoing airway interventions for malignant airways disease.

BACKGROUND: Long-term complications of therapeutic bronchoscopy include infections and airway restenosis due to tumor. No studies have compared the incidence rates of infection in patients with stents with those without stents. We hypothesized that patients with stents would have a higher incidence of lower respiratory tract infections than would patients without stents. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, covering the period September 2009 to August 2011, of patients who had therapeutic bronchoscopy for malignant airways disease. Outcomes recorded were lower respiratory tract infection and airway restenosis by tumor. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients had therapeutic bronchoscopy for malignant airways disease. Twenty-four of these patients had one or more stents placed. Twenty-three of the 72 patients (32%) developed lower respiratory tract infections. Stents were associated with an increased risk of infection (hazard ratio [HR], 3.76; 95% CI, 1.57-8.99; P = .003). The incidence rate of lower respiratory tract infection was 0.0057 infections per person-day in patients with stents vs 0.0011 infections per person-day in patients without stents. The incidence rate difference, 0.0046 infections per person-day, was significant (95% CI, 0.0012-0.0081; P = .0002). Restenosis due to tumor overgrowth was associated with more severe obstruction at baseline (obstruction ≥ 50% vs < 50% preprocedure; HR, 13.71; 95% CI, 1.75-107.55; P = .013). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic bronchoscopy with stent placement is associated with a higher risk of infection than is therapeutic bronchoscopy alone. If ablative techniques reopen the airway and there is a good chance that the tumor may respond to chemotherapy and/or radiation, a strategy of initially holding off on stenting may be warranted.

Complications, consequences, and practice patterns of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration: Results of the AQuIRE registry.

BACKGROUND: Few studies of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration(EBUS-TBNA) have been large enough to identify risk factors for complications. The primary objective of this study was to quantify the incidence of and risk factors for complications in patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA. METHODS: Data on prospectively enrolled patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA in the American College of Chest Physicians Quality Improvement Registry, Evaluation, and Education (AQuIRE)database were extracted and analyzed for the incidence, consequences, and predictors of complications. RESULTS: We enrolled 1,317 patients at six hospitals. Complications occurred in 19 patients (1.44%;95% CI, 0.87%-2.24%). Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBBx) was the only risk factor for complications,which occurred in 3.21% of patients who underwent the procedure and in 1.15% of those who did not (OR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.07-7.59; P 5 .04). Pneumothorax occurred in seven patients(0.53%; 95% CI, 0.21%-1.09%). Escalations in level of care occurred in 14 patients (1.06%;95% CI, 0.58%-1.78%); its risk factors were age . 70 years (OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.36-12.12; P 5 .012),inpatient status (OR, 4.93; 95% CI, 1.30-18.74; P 5 .019), and undergoing deep sedation or general anesthesia (OR, 4.68; 95% CI, 1.02-21.61; P 5 .048). TBBx was performed in only 12.6% of patients when rapid on site cytologic evaluation (ROSE ) was used and in 19.1% when it was not used ( P 5 .006).Interhospital variation in TBBx use when ROSE was used was significant ( P , .001). CONCLUSIONS: TBBx was the only risk factor for complications during EBUS-TBNA procedures.ROSE significantly reduced the use of TBBx.