Purpose: To determine if saline tract injection and rapid patient rollover following computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) affects pneumothorax incidence and size.
Methods: A retrospective cohort design was used to compare 278 patients who underwent post-biopsy saline injection and rapid rollover so that the biopsy site was dependent (N = 180) to a control group with routine post-biopsy care (N = 98). Post-procedure radiographs and CT were assessed for presence and size of pneumothorax, as well as requirement for chest tube placement.
Results: Pneumothorax size as estimated on post-procedure CT was 3.33% in the treatment group and 6.63% in the control group (P < .05). There was also a reduction in chest tube placements in the treatment group (3.9% vs 10%, P < .05). On post-procedure radiographs, pneumothorax rates were 20% in the treatment group, and 25% in the control group (P > .05).
Conclusion: Saline injection with rapid patient rollover following TTNB significantly decreased pneumothorax size and chest tube placement but not incidence.
Keywords: Computed tomography; Lung biopsy; Patient rollover; Pneumothorax reduction; Saline injection.
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