PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Minoru Inomata AU - Naoyuki Kuse AU - Nobuyasu Awano AU - Mari Tone AU - Hanako Yoshimura AU - Tatsunori Jo AU - Jonsu Minami AU - Kohei Takada AU - Bae Yuan AU - Toshio Kumasaka AU - Hideaki Yamakawa AU - Shintaro Sato AU - Kazunori Tobino AU - Hidekazu Matsushima AU - Tamiko Takemura AU - Takehiro Izumo TI - Prospective multicentre study on the safety and utility of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy with endobronchial balloon AID - 10.1183/23120541.00008-2020 DP - 2020 Apr 01 TA - ERJ Open Research PG - 00008-2020 VI - 6 IP - 2 4099 - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/6/2/00008-2020.short 4100 - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/6/2/00008-2020.full SO - erjor2020 Apr 01; 6 AB - Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has been increasingly utilised to diagnose diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) and lung cancers; however, TBLC protocols have not yet been standardised and the rate of complications associated with this procedure vary widely. Therefore, this prospective multicentre observational study investigated the safety and utility of the TBLC technique in patients with diffuse and localised respiratory diseases.This study was conducted at multiple medical centres in Japan between July 2018 and April 2019. The study's primary end-point was the rate of severe or serious adverse events associated with TBLC. Adverse events included bronchial bleeding, pneumothorax, pneumonia, respiratory failure, and an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia. Adverse events were graded according to severity. During the TBLC procedure, an endobronchial balloon catheter for bronchial blockade was used in all patients. Pathological confidence and quality of specimens were categorised into three groups.A total of 112 patients were included. Neither severe nor serious adverse events were identified; therefore, the primary end-point was met. Nineteen patients (17%) experienced no bronchial bleeding. Mild or moderate bronchial bleeding was identified in 67% and 16% of patients, respectively. Mild pneumothoraces were identified in four patients (3.6%). The safety profile in patients aged ≥75 years was not significantly different from younger patients. Definite or probable pathological diagnoses were made in 84.9% of patients.This TBLC protocol with routine use of an endobronchial balloon had an acceptable safety profile and diagnostic yield in patients, including elderly ones, with diffuse and localised respiratory diseases.This multicentre prospective study showed an acceptable safety profile and diagnostic yield for transbronchial cryobiopsy with routine use of an endobronchial balloon for patients with diffuse and localised respiratory diseases, including elderly patients https://bit.ly/2Vv8Gky