Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42881402›Full record

ArticleRespiratory research2026

Safety and diagnostic yield of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy in patients with interstitial lung disease and severe pulmonary function impairment.

Christoph Lederer, Markus Polke, Janna Reinhard, Ralf Eberhardt, Katharina Buschulte, Monika Eichinger, Claus Peter Heußel, Enikő Fuchs, Konstantina Kontogianni, Michael Allgäuer and 2 more

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Article in Respiratory research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Christoph LedererCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Christoph.Lederer@med.uni-heidelberg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2363-9272
Markus PolkeCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Janna ReinhardDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruhrlandklinik University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
Ralf EberhardtDepartment of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany.
Katharina BuschulteCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Monika EichingerTranslational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany.
Claus Peter HeußelTranslational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany.
Enikő FuchsCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Konstantina KontogianniCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael AllgäuerDepartment of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Felix J HerthCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Franziska C TrudzinskiCenter for Interstitial and Rare Lung Diseases, Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Franziska.Trudzinski@med.uni-heidelberg.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has become an established diagnostic modality in interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, current guidelines frequently exclude patients with severely impaired lung function due to safety concerns. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and diagnostic yield of TBLC in patients with advanced pulmonary function impairment.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with suspected ILD who underwent TBLC for diagnostic evaluation at Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, between November 2017 and December 2021. All cases were reviewed in a multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) before and after biopsy. Severe pulmonary function impairment was defined as a forced vital capacity (FVC) < 50% predicted and/or a diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO

resultsA total of 396 patients were included (39% female, mean age 68 ± 12 years), of whom 43 patients (10.9%) had severely physiologically impaired ILD (SPI-ILD). The incidence of pneumothorax did not statistically differ between patients with severe and less physiologically impaired ILD (LPI-ILD) (11.6% vs. 14.7%, p = 0.818), with chest tube placement required in 33 cases overall. Severe bleeding necessitating endoscopic haemostasis occurred in 25.6% of SPI-ILD and 17.8% of LPI-ILD patients (p = 0.218). No surgical interventions for procedure-related complications were required. TBLC contributed to a final diagnosis following MDD review in 318 patients (80%), including 81% in SPI-ILD and 80% in LPI-ILD (p = 1.000).

conclusionTBLC may represent a viable diagnostic option in carefully selected patients with severely impaired pulmonary function when performed in experienced centres following thorough risk-benefit assessment.

Indexed as

BronchoscopyCryosurgeryLungLung Diseases, InterstitialSeverity of Illness IndexAgedBiopsyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRespiratory Function TestsRetrospective StudiesVital CapacityComplicationsDiagnostic yieldInterstitial lung disease (ILD)Risk stratificationSevere pulmonary function impairmentTransbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC)

Identifiers

PMID42881402

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.