Transbronchial lung biopsy with a flexible cryoprobe: First case report from India

Abstract

Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis are granulomatous disorders that mimic each other both clinically and radiologically. Both can present with fever and pulmonary nodules and often require the performance of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) for diagnosis. In recent studies, the flexible cryoprobe for carrying out TBLB has been found to be useful in the diagnosis of disorders diffusely involving the lung parenchyma. Here, we present the case of a 29-year-old man who presented with fever and cough and was found to have multiple small nodules in both lungs. TBLB with a flexible cryoprobe helped in differentiating between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis.

Keywords

• Bronchoscopy
• cryobiopsy
• cryotherapy
• lung biopsy
• sarcoidosis
• transbronchial lung biopsy
• tuberculosis