Thoracic Ultrasound for Immediate Exclusion of Pneumothorax after Interventional Bronchoscopy

Background. Pneumothorax is a common side effect in interventional pulmonology. The ideal moment for detection with chest X-ray or ultrasound has not yet been defined. Earlier studies demonstrated the utility of performing these tests with a certain delay, which always results in a potentially dangerous gap. Methods. We prospectively enrolled patients with pulmonary interventions at increased risk of pneumothorax. Thoracic ultrasound was performed immediately after the intervention and at the moment of chest X-ray with a delay up to two hours. Results: Overall, we detected four pneumothoraxes in 115 procedures. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were 75%, 100%, 100%, 99%, 99% for ultrasound and 75%, 90%, 21%, 99% und 89% for chest X-ray respectively. All pneumothoraces requiring chest tube were sufficiently detected by both methods. Conclusion. Thoracic ultrasound when performed immediately can more accurately exclude pneumothorax after interventional bronchoscopy when compared to chest X-ray. Further ultrasound examinations are unnecessary.