Cytodiagnosis of lower respiratory tract lesions by transthoracic needle aspiration.

A comprehensive prospective and retrospective study of 130 cases was carried out to evaluate the safety, adequacy and diagnostic accuracy of Transthoracic Needle Aspiration (TTNA) in various pulmonary lesions. Using both guided and unguided TTNA diagnostic material was procured in 86.15% cases. Rotex II, Chiba, lumber puncture and ordinary needles were used depending upon the type of lesion. Overall diagnostic accuracy of the procedure was 79.46 percent. Complication after the procedure were transient and self limiting. Haemoptysis was noted in 3.84 percent cases and pneumothorax in a single case. Thus TTNA can be safely included in the investigative protocol of lung lesions.