Needle biopsy of the pleura
In reference to pleural mesothelioma, this is often done at the same time as a thoracoscopy. If during the thoracoscopy the surgeon notices an abnormality or a suspicious lesion, he or she may want to get a small sample of it to send to the lab to determine whether or not it is an area of concern. To do this, he or she may perform a needle biopsy, in which a small needle is inserted into the lesion to obtain a tissue sample. While typically safe, occasionally this procedure may cause collapse of the lung or bleeding.
Anna L. Kaplan, M.D.