Bronchoscopic evaluation of the mediastinum using endobronchial ultrasound: A description of the first 216 cases carried out at an Australian tertiary hospital

Abstract

Background: Performance of linear probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for staging non-small-cell lung cancer has been extensively studied. Alternate indications for its use are less well characterised, and performance in other clinical settings may differ. Methods: We examined a prospectively collected cohort comprising the first 215 patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA at our institution. Patients were analysed according to the clinical and radiological indication for referral. We also examined the effect of the procedural learning curve on diagnostic sensitivity. Results: A total of 215 patients underwent 216 EBUS-TBNA procedures. EBUS-TBNA returned ..