Thoracic intervention.

Abstract

The literature of the past year regarding interventional procedures in the thorax covers aspects of transthoracic needle biopsy, drainage of pleural fluid collections, percutaneous management of lung abscess, and thoracic vascular interventions. Topics in transthoracic needle biopsy include a large retrospective series on fluoroscopically guided biopsy of thoracic masses; several reports reviewing experience with diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses, including four studies describing the use of real-time ultrasound guidance for this procedure; the description of a new automated cutting needle for consistent tissue sampling; and two studies addressing factors affecting pneumothorax and chest tube insertion rates following transthoracic needle biopsy. Reports on percutaneous management of pleural fluid collections are highlighted by a paper reporting the results of ultrasound-guided drainage and sclerosis of malignant pleural effusions. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration of lung abscess for isolation of causative bacteria is the basis of two recent papers, and successful CT-guided drainage of lung abscesses is described by a group of researchers that has written extensively on a variety of the interventional thoracic procedures that are currently performed. Finally, the failures and complications associated with bronchial and pulmonary arterial embolization procedures have been reviewed.