Video-assisted thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of diffuse parenchymal lung disease.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of video-assisted thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. METHODS The medical charts of patients suspected of having diffuse parenchymal lung disease were retrospectively reviewed, as were the results of the anatomopathological examination of lung biopsy specimens collected through video-assisted thoracoscopy. RESULTS Of the 48 patients included in the study, 25 (52.08%) were female and 23 (47.92%) were male. The mean age was 58.77 years (range, 20-76 years). A total of 54 biopsy fragments were submitted to anatomopathological examination: 24 (44.44%) from the lingula; 10 (18.52%) from the left lower lobe; 7 (12.96%) from the right middle lobe; 6 (11.11%) from the right lower lobe; 5 (9.26%) from the left upper lobe; and 2 (3.71%) from the right upper lobe. The mean duration of thoracic drainage was 2.2 days. Adverse events included conversion to thoracotomy, in 2 patients (4.17%), and residual pneumothorax, in 1 (2.08%). The definitive diagnosis was made in 46 patients (95.83%), and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was the predominant diagnosis (in 54.18%). The most common diagnoses were usual interstitial pneumonia (in 29.27%), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (in 16.67%) and hypersensitivity pneumonia (in 12.50%). CONCLUSIONS Lung biopsy through video-assisted thoracoscopy is a safe, effective and viable procedure for the diagnosis of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases.