Value of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided localization of solitary pulmonary nodules with the combination of ultrathin bronchoscopy and methylene blue prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical value of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS)-guided localization of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) with the combination of ultrathin bronchoscopy and methylene blue prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). An ultrathin bronchoscope was used to localize the lesions under RP-EBUS guidance in 48 patients (18 men and 30 women; age range, 41–72 years; mean age, 54 years), who subsequently underwent VATS resection. The lesion size, distance from the parietal pleura, localization time and complications were evaluated. The RP-EBUS-guided localization success rate was 72.9%. The lesion size ± standard deviation was 12.8±4.2 mm and the mean distance from the parietal pleura was 11.2±9.7 mm. The mean localization time was 15.7±8.3 min. The major complication of RP-EBUS-guided localization was asymptomatic hemorrhage in 4 patients (8.3%). The VATS resection success rate was 95.8%. In terms of pathological type, the 48 lesions included atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (n=4), adenocarcinoma in situ (n=5), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (n=7), adenocarcinoma (n=18), squamous cell carcinoma (n=1), inflammation (n=6), hamartoma (n=4) and tuberculosis (n=3). Therefore, RP-EBUS-guided localization with the combination of an ultrathin bronchoscope and methylene blue prior to VATS resection is a promising technique for SPNs, it plays an important role in the accurate localization of SPNs and it is an effective and safe technique to assist VATS resection of such nodules.