Transbronchial and mediastinal cryobiopsy in parenchymal lung disease - 13th edition

The diagnostic work-up of diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) needs identification of the morphological aspects in a significant minority of patients. Surgical lung biopsy is considered the most efficient method to reach the goal so far. However, it is associated to a significant incidence of morbidity and mortality mainly when the definite diagnosis will be Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) or in elderly. Transbronchial cryobiopsy is a bioptic approach in subjects with diffuse parenchymal lung disease that is gaining large consideration in the scientific community and recent guidelines suggest considering this approach as the first choice.

A variety of studies, documents and guidelines have defined modalities by which cryobiopsies should be taken out, its safety profile and the clinical role of this technique in the diagnostic work-up of patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease.

EBUS-guided cryobiopsy has also been recently evaluated as a fruitful approach for mediastinal lesions. Cryoprobes could contribute to the precise diagnosis and molecular profiling of neoplastic disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

In this Course the technical aspects of transbronchial cryobiopsy, recommended standards of the technique, its diagnostic role will be presented and discussed.