[Transthoracic lung biopsy in interstitial pulmonary diseases (author's transl)].

Report about transthoracic needle biopsy for histological diagnosis of interstitial pulmonary diseases in 366 patients, 22 of whom had a control biopsy. The histological diagnosis in 306 patients (83.6%) were representative of the clinical findings, in 46 cases (12.6%)--generally in exogenic allergic alveolitis--relatively representative, and not representative in 14 patients (3.8%). In view of the efficiency of the method, the slight expense and the relatively low rate of complications (24%), which mostly are of light character and well to be removed, it is considered to be superior to minor diagnostic thoracotomy.