Mungall I P, Cowen P N, Cooke N T, Roach T C, Cooke N J
Thorax. 1980 Aug;35(8):600-2. doi: 10.1136/thx.35.8.600.
Multiple pleural biopsies (up to 10) were taken with the Abrams needle through a single aspiration site in 55 patients with pleural effusions. A definite positive or suggestive pleural biopsy diagnosis was made in 33 patients (60%). In 32 of the 33 patients the pathological abnormality was confined to only a proportion of the biopsies. Pleural biopsies were positive or suggestive in 26 out of 36 patients (72%) eventually shown to have tumour and seven out of eight patients (88%) with tuberculosis. Small pneumothoraces occurred in four patients and surgical emphysema in two.