Diagnosis Yield and Safety of Surgical Biopsy in Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Prospective Study

Background Surgical lung biopsy is essential in the diagnostic algorithm of interstitial lung disease (ILD) of unknown cause. Safety concerns have been recently reiterated. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the yield of diagnosis and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical lung biopsy (VATS-LB) for ILD diagnosis. Methods This prospective study, conducted in 6 ILD-referral Paris hospitals, included 103 patients with ILD. After initial multidisciplinary discussion, VATS-LB was proposed. A final diagnosis was made after the procedure, during a second multidisciplinary discussion. The main outcome was to determine the final diagnoses and their proportion after VATS-LB. Other outcomes were the percentage of change in diagnosis and treatment propositions after VATS-LB and adverse events during 3 months after surgery, postoperative pulmonary function, quality of life and pain. Results A definite diagnosis was reached in 87 cases (84.4%), while 16 remained unclassifiable (15.6%). Hypothesized diagnosis and treatment changed after VATS-LB in 65 (63.1%) and in 41 patients (39.8%), respectively. There was one death due to acute exacerbation. In-hospital complications were predicted by a lower preoperative distance at 6-minute walking test and by forced vital capacity lower than 77%. Postoperative quality of life was not modified at 3 months while forced vital capacity decreased slightly. Postoperative neuropathic pain was revealed in 5% and 2% patients at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Conclusions VATS-LB dramatically changed preoperative hypothetical diagnoses and treatment in ILD of unknown cause with good patient survival in ILD-referral centers.