Table 2.
Baseline clinical, radiological and percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy-related characteristics of 123 patients
| Age (years) | 64.2 ± 11.6 (range, 25–85) | Distance between pleura and target lesion | |
| ≥ 65 years | 56 (45.5%) | ≥ 1 cm | 16 (13%) |
| < 65 years | 66 (53.7%) | < 1 cm | 8 (6.5%) |
| Not specified | 1 (0.8%) | Not specified | 99 (80.5%) |
| Sex | Biopsy needle gauge | ||
| Men | 84 (68.3%) | ≥ 20 gauge | 55 (44.7%) |
| Women | 39 (31.7%) | < 20 gauge | 52 (42.3%) |
| Underlying disease | Not specified | 16 (13%) | |
| Yes | 72 (58.5%) | Coaxial technique | |
| No | 40 (32.5%) | Yes | 68 (55.3%) |
| Not specified | 11 (8.9%) | No | 37 (30.1%) |
| Mechanical ventilation | Not specified | 18 (14.6%) | |
| Yes | 6 (4.9%) | Cough | |
| No | 106 (86.2%) | No | 74 (60.2%) |
| Not specified | 11 (8.9%) | Yes | 45 (36.6%) |
| Long diameter of target lesion (cm) | 2.3 ± 1.6 (range, 0.5–11); Median 2 | Not specified | 4 (3.3%) |
| ≥ 2 cm | 42 (34.1%) | Symptom or sign | |
| < 2 cm | 40 (32.5%) | Yes | 98 (79.7%) |
| Not specified | 41 (33.3%) | No | 19 (15.4%) |
| Target lesion type | Not specified | 6 (4.9%) | |
| Solid or consolidation | 93 (75.6%) | Cardiac symptom | |
| Ground-glass opacity | 8 (6.5%) | Yes | 32 (26.0%) |
| Not specified | 22 (17.9%) | No (other symptoms) | 66 (53.7%) |
| Cavitary/cystic change | Not specified | 25 (20.3%) | |
| Yes | 17 (13.8%) | Loss of consciousness | |
| No | 84 (68.3%) | Yes | 42 (34.1%) |
| Not specified | 22 (17.9%) | No (other symptoms) | 56 (45.5%) |
| Lobar location | Not specified | 25 (20.3%) | |
| RUL, RML, RLL, LUL, LLL, not specified | 17 (13.8%), 10 (8.1%), 28 (22.8%), 13 (10.6%), 33 (26.8%), 22 (17.9%) | Location of air embolism | |
| Upper and middle lobe | 42 (34.1%) | Coronary arteries or intracranial space | 69 (56.1%) |
| Lower lobe | 67 (54.5%) | Others | 48 (39%) |
| Not specified | 14 (11.9%) | Not specified | 6 (4.9%) |
| Guidance modality | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment | ||
| CT | 112 (91.1%) | Yes | 39 (31.7%) |
| Others | 8 (6.5%) | No | 82 (66.7%) |
| Not specified | 3 (2.4%) | Not specified | 2 (1.6%) |
| Biopsy methods | Trendelenburg position | ||
| Core biopsy | 92 (74.8%) | Yes | 30 (24.4%) |
| Aspiration biopsy | 27 (22%) | No | 80 (65%) |
| Not specified | 4 (3.2%) | Not specified | 13 (10.6%) |
| Patient position | Other complication | ||
| Supine | 31 (25.2%) | Yes | 65 (52.8%) |
| Prone | 53 (43.1%) | No | 40 (32.5%) |
| Lateral decubitus | 20 (16.3%) | Not specified | 18 (14.6%) |
| Not specified | 19 (15.4%) | Outcome* | |
| Maximum needle gauge | Survival without any sequela | 89 (72.3%) [66, 67.3%] | |
| ≥ 19 gauge | 65 (52.8%) | Survival with sequela | 12 (9.8%) [11, 11.2%] |
| < 19 gauge | 42 (34.1%) | Death | 22 (17.9%) [21, 21.5%] |
| Not specified | 16 (13%) |
*Number and percentage of outcome in patients with symptomatic air embolism (n = 98) are suggested in each bracket