Disease prevention is important for maintaining health. The latest equipment of the 21st century allows you to diagnose and prevent the development of complex diseases. Among such modern methods, a lung biopsy shows itself, which is aimed at examining lung tissue for pathologies. What is this method, how effective is it, and how do you need to prepare for this study?
Lung biopsy: purpose of the procedure and its meaning
Diseases of the lungs can be easily detected using computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound. However, any diagnosis must be confirmed, especially when it comes to serious diseases such as pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis or cancer.
A lung biopsy is a method that can 100% confirm or refute the diagnosis. Its essence lies in the study of lung tissue of the patient. The studied material can be of any size, and the features of its collection depend on the location of the focus of the pathology or disease. Actually, depending on these factors, a lung biopsy can be performed in several ways.
When to do a lung biopsy
First of all, this study is aimed at confirming the diagnosis, and not at detecting pathology. The latter is done with the help of simplest measures, including ultrasound and computed tomography. What diseases does a lung biopsy take?
These are such pathologies:
1. Pneumonia.
2. Tuberculosis.
3. Pulmonary fibrosis.
4. Damage to the interstitial tissue.
5. The accumulation of pus.
6. Cancerous tumors, etc.
These and many other diseases can cause manipulations such as lung biopsies. How is the study carried out and what are the features of its conduct?
Types of lung biopsy
There are several ways to obtain material for research. The choice of one of them depends on the localization of the focus of inflammation, the site of the appearance of foreign tissue, pus. What is a lung biopsy , how is the study done?
1. Bronchoscopy.
This method is used to detect pathologies in the upper respiratory tract, trachea and bronchi. It is carried out using a special device - a bronchoscopic tube, which is inserted into the nose or mouth. It has a small chamber at the end, which allows the surgeon to see the inner walls of the airways. The operation usually takes no more than an hour.
2. Puncture biopsy.
This method is used to extract damaged organ tissues that are close to the chest. The tool is a long needle, which is carried out in a pre-made incision up to 4 mm long. A puncture is done simultaneously with an ultrasound or CT scan in order to track the position of the needle relative to the place of tissue collection. The procedure takes the same 60 minutes.
3. Open lung biopsy.
If a relatively large piece of organ tissue is needed for the study, an incision is made in the chest and material of the required size is taken. The difference between this method is that it is possible to capture a large piece of lung tissue.
4. Thoracoscopy.
A lung biopsy can be done using modern medical technology. Thoracoscopy is one such example when miniature instruments and very small cameras are used. This makes it possible to carry out the operation accurately and without major damage to the skin (only two small incisions are made). Also, rehabilitation after thoracoscopy is faster than with serious surgery.
Sensations after examination
A lung biopsy involves surgical or physical manipulation of human organs. Naturally, after the operation, unpleasant sensations can occur: sore throat, sore, severe hoarseness.
Anatomical intervention is associated with damage to the integumentary tissues. During such an operation, anesthesia is used, so a person does not feel pain for a while. If we are talking about puncture, then with the introduction of the needle and the contact of its tip with the lungs, a slight burning sensation is felt.
An open biopsy is performed under general anesthesia. After surgery, the patient will feel drowsiness and slight weakness. Rehabilitation after a thoracoscopy takes place in a completely different way: the procedure is almost painless, passes quickly, and most importantly, rehabilitation does not take much time.
Contraindications
Is a lung biopsy safe? The consequences of this examination may be different, because it is associated with a violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. To avoid possible complications, the procedure is not carried out in the presence of the following deviations in the patient:
1. Extreme heart failure.
2. Oxygen starvation.
3. Anemia.
4. Poor blood coagulability.
5. Respiratory failure.
6. Elevated pressure in the lungs.
7. Nodes in the airways.
Any of these factors may be a reason for refusing a biopsy. However, it is worth remembering that rehabilitation depends on the degree of development of the lung disease itself, and not only on the above malformations of health.
Talk with a doctor before the examination
Many patients are interested in how to prepare for surgery in advance. Here you can highlight several key points:
1. Do not eat or drink 6-12 hours before surgery.
2. For at least 3 days, you need to stop taking anti-inflammatory pills.
3. The same applies to medicines that thin the blood.
The last point is the result of surgical intervention in the study of the patient. The problem is that invasive examination is always accompanied by hemorrhage. Its intensity depends primarily on the training of a doctor, however, the use of drugs that thin the blood can aggravate the situation.
Before the operation, you must definitely undergo an ultrasound, CT scan or chest x-ray again. It is also necessary to donate blood for analysis.
Just before the operation, the doctor should talk with you. He should know the following things: are you pregnant or not (if the patient is a woman), is there an allergy to any drugs, are you taking medications at the moment, are there any problems with blood coagulation.
What sensations does the patient experience during and after the biopsy?
It is clear that the most reliable method for determining pathologies of the respiratory system is a lung biopsy. How this analysis is done is also already clear, however, patients who are undergoing such a procedure have quite logical questions. Does the person experience pain during surgery? What side effects of the study may occur during the rehabilitation period?
The operation itself is carried out under the influence of anesthesia, which completely eliminates pain. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of a biopsy; it is enough to listen to the doctor and fulfill his requirements.
In the process of rehabilitation, dry mouth and a hoarse voice are considered the norm. The patient may also complain of shortness of breath or chest pain. Sometimes complications such as pneumothorax or hemoptysis appear. However, they are extremely rare.
Analysis of the results of the study
A lung biopsy is performed to make an accurate and correct diagnosis related to pathologies of the respiratory system. After conducting this study, it takes 3 to 5 days before the results are ready. There is also such a kind of analysis as an extended biopsy. In this case, the results will be ready no earlier than in 2 weeks.
Most often, a biopsy is performed to confirm the diagnosis or after a CT / ultrasound scan, which revealed suspicious lesions in the lungs or airways.
By what signs can we judge that the state of the respiratory system is normal? Firstly, by the absence of bacterial and viral cells, pus. Secondly, according to the normal structure of the cells of the organ tissue, which completely eliminates the presence of benign or malignant tumors. All lung biopsy results are recorded and entered into the patient database.