Nonclotted Blood Patch Technique Reduces Pneumothorax and Chest Tube Placement Rates After Percutaneous Lung Biopsies.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether autologous nonclotted blood patch decreases pneumothorax and chest tube placement rates in computed tomography-guided biopsies of the lung.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Percutaneous computed tomography-guided lung biopsies performed over a period of 6 years were retrospectively reviewed to determine the overall rates of pneumothorax and chest tube placement and rates before and after the autologous nonclotted blood patch procedure was instituted as a departmental policy. The effect of the intervention was only assessed in patients in whom a blood patch could be applied, therefore only when the needle traversed an aerated lung and only when the needle remained in the lung at the end of the study.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant decrease in both the rate of pneumothorax [28% (69/245) vs. 42% (80/189); P=0.002] and chest tube placement [4% (10/245) vs. 16% (30/189); P<0.001] in patients who received nonclotted blood patch versus those who did not. Blood patch was performed in 222/312 (71%) eligible patients after the introduction of the blood patch policy. After policy introduction, there was a decreased rate of pneumothorax, with a rate of 32% (101/312) versus 40% (49/122) (P=0.12) and a statistically significant decrease in departmental chest tube placement rates of 6% (20/312) versus 16% (20/122) (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Nonclotted autologous blood patch for percutaneous lung biopsy resulted in significantly decreased pneumothorax and chest tube placement rates in our patient population.