Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.

Endobronchial ultrasound(EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy(TBB) is the preferred diagnostic tool for peripheral pulmonary lesions(PPLs) and mastering this procedure is an important task in the training of chest physicians. Little has been published about the learning experience of physicians with t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chun-Ta Huang, Sheng-Yuan Ruan, Yi-Ju Tsai, Chao-Chi Ho, Chong-Jen Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5478147?pdf=render
_version_ 1819053039646932992
author Chun-Ta Huang
Sheng-Yuan Ruan
Yi-Ju Tsai
Chao-Chi Ho
Chong-Jen Yu
author_facet Chun-Ta Huang
Sheng-Yuan Ruan
Yi-Ju Tsai
Chao-Chi Ho
Chong-Jen Yu
author_sort Chun-Ta Huang
collection DOAJ
description Endobronchial ultrasound(EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy(TBB) is the preferred diagnostic tool for peripheral pulmonary lesions(PPLs) and mastering this procedure is an important task in the training of chest physicians. Little has been published about the learning experience of physicians with this technique, particularly at an institutional level. We aimed to establish a learning curve for EBUS-guided TBB for PPLs at a medical center.Between 2008 and 2015, consecutive patients with PPLs referred for EBUS-guided TBB at National Taiwan University Hospital were enrolled. To build the learning curve, the diagnostic yield of TBB (plus brushings and washings) was calculated and compared. Meanwhile, lesion characteristics, and procedure-related features and complications were obtained to analyze associations with TBB yield and safety profile.A total of 2144 patients were included and EBUS-guided TBB was diagnostic for 1547(72%). The TBB yield was 64% in 2008 and reached a plateau of 72% after 2010. It took approximately 400 EBUS-guided procedures to achieve stable proficiency. Further analysis showed that improvement in diagnostic yield over time was mainly observed in PPLs, in cases in which the diameter was ≤2 cm or the EBUS probe could not be positioned within. Complication rates were low, with 1.8% and 0.5% for pneumothorax and hemorrhage, respectively.Even though EBUS-guided TBB is an easy-to-learn technique, it takes 3 years or around 400 procedures for a medical center to achieve a better and stable performance. In particular, the diagnostic yield for lesions without the probe within or those sized ≤2 cm could improve with time.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T12:29:24Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9692eec289ef433e9ad6c9c0efbf043a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T12:29:24Z
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-9692eec289ef433e9ad6c9c0efbf043a2022-12-21T19:04:04ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01126e017971910.1371/journal.pone.0179719Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.Chun-Ta HuangSheng-Yuan RuanYi-Ju TsaiChao-Chi HoChong-Jen YuEndobronchial ultrasound(EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy(TBB) is the preferred diagnostic tool for peripheral pulmonary lesions(PPLs) and mastering this procedure is an important task in the training of chest physicians. Little has been published about the learning experience of physicians with this technique, particularly at an institutional level. We aimed to establish a learning curve for EBUS-guided TBB for PPLs at a medical center.Between 2008 and 2015, consecutive patients with PPLs referred for EBUS-guided TBB at National Taiwan University Hospital were enrolled. To build the learning curve, the diagnostic yield of TBB (plus brushings and washings) was calculated and compared. Meanwhile, lesion characteristics, and procedure-related features and complications were obtained to analyze associations with TBB yield and safety profile.A total of 2144 patients were included and EBUS-guided TBB was diagnostic for 1547(72%). The TBB yield was 64% in 2008 and reached a plateau of 72% after 2010. It took approximately 400 EBUS-guided procedures to achieve stable proficiency. Further analysis showed that improvement in diagnostic yield over time was mainly observed in PPLs, in cases in which the diameter was ≤2 cm or the EBUS probe could not be positioned within. Complication rates were low, with 1.8% and 0.5% for pneumothorax and hemorrhage, respectively.Even though EBUS-guided TBB is an easy-to-learn technique, it takes 3 years or around 400 procedures for a medical center to achieve a better and stable performance. In particular, the diagnostic yield for lesions without the probe within or those sized ≤2 cm could improve with time.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5478147?pdf=render
spellingShingle Chun-Ta Huang
Sheng-Yuan Ruan
Yi-Ju Tsai
Chao-Chi Ho
Chong-Jen Yu
Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
PLoS ONE
title Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
title_full Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
title_fullStr Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
title_full_unstemmed Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
title_short Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a medical centre.
title_sort experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions a learning curve at a medical centre
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5478147?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT chuntahuang experienceimprovestheperformanceofendobronchialultrasoundguidedtransbronchialbiopsyforperipheralpulmonarylesionsalearningcurveatamedicalcentre
AT shengyuanruan experienceimprovestheperformanceofendobronchialultrasoundguidedtransbronchialbiopsyforperipheralpulmonarylesionsalearningcurveatamedicalcentre
AT yijutsai experienceimprovestheperformanceofendobronchialultrasoundguidedtransbronchialbiopsyforperipheralpulmonarylesionsalearningcurveatamedicalcentre
AT chaochiho experienceimprovestheperformanceofendobronchialultrasoundguidedtransbronchialbiopsyforperipheralpulmonarylesionsalearningcurveatamedicalcentre
AT chongjenyu experienceimprovestheperformanceofendobronchialultrasoundguidedtransbronchialbiopsyforperipheralpulmonarylesionsalearningcurveatamedicalcentre