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TRANSTHORACIC FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION IN AETIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA.
Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Jul 22;
Authors: Hernes SS, Hagen E, Tofteland S, Finsen NT, Christensen A, Giske CG, Spindler C, Bakke PS, Bjorvatn B
Abstract To investigate the safety and practicability of conducting transthoracic fine needle aspiration (TFNA) in a general hospital setting we applied TFNA to 20 patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) within 36 hours of admission. Also, a preliminary assessment was made of the potential value of adding TFNA to conventional methods of diagnostic microbiology. TFNA was easy to perform, caused little discomfort, and no serious adverse events were observed. In spite of ongoing antimicrobial treatment, a likely aetiological diagnosis was established in 14/20 (70%) of the patients. TFNA may provide important additional information on the aetiology of CAP.
PMID: 19681958 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]