Lung Biopsy

A lung biopsy is a procedure in which a doctor takes a small piece of tissue or small amount of fluid from the lung and sends it to the laboratory for analysis. The biopsy helps to determine if a lung lesion (an abnormal spot) is due to an infection or an immune disorder, or is a tumor or growth.

Procedure

Using ultrasound or CT scan for guidance, the doctor will insert a special hollow needle through the skin of the chest, directly into the area of interest in the lung. Then, we will take several small pieces of tissue. The procedure should take approximately one hour.

After the operation, we will place a bandage over the needle-puncture site.

Anesthesia

Patients receive either IV sedation or general anesthesia and are asleep for this procedure.

Pain

The needle-puncture site may be tender for several days. You may give your child over-the-counter pain medication.

Risks

The procedure is considered low-risk. However, potential complications include:

• bleeding
• infection
• collapse of the lung (pneumothorax) requiring chest-tube placement
• bleeding into the chest cavity (hemothorax) requiring chest-tube placement

Activity Restrictions

After the procedure, your child should rest for the remainder of the day. The next day, your child can return to light activities, but should avoid strenuous activity, such as rough playing or contact sports, for one week.

Bathing

The bandage must stay dry and in place for 48 hours. You may sponge bathe your child during this time, as long as the bandage stays dry. After 48 hours you may remove the clear bandage, white gauze and sticky gauze used to seal the biopsy site, and your child can take a shower or a bath, as long as the site isn’t immersed in water. Leave the Steri-Strips® (white strips) in place. Do not immerse the site in water until the Steri-Strips fall off. If they haven’t fallen off after seven days, you may remove them.