Authors' objectives:

The main objectives are: a) to assess the effectiveness of real time EBUS-TBNA in different pathologies in comparison to other available techniques for lymph node staging and b) to assess the safety of real time EBUS-TBNA in different pathologies.

Authors' recommendations: 1) EBUS-TBNA seems to be a safe and highly sensitive and specific technique for the examination and staging of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes in patients with known or suspected lung malignancy; 2) this technique could decrease the overall number of procedures needed for staging/diagnosing lymph nodes and replace invasive techniques in an important number of patients but negative results always must be confirmed; 3) with the available information it is not possible to establish the exact place of EBUS-TBNA in the algorithm for suspected lung cancer or mediastinal staging or assess its usefulness for estimating prognosis or guide the choice of treatment; 4) the evidence is not sufficient in quantity or quality to determine its use in other pathologies such as sarcoidosis or lymphoma.

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.sergas.es/MostrarContidos_N3_T02.aspx?IdPaxina=60058&uri=/Docs/Avalia-t/CT2007_03 EBUS TBNA.pdf&hifr=1000&seccion=0

Year Published: 2008

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Scientific Advice Unit, avalia-t; The Galician Health Knowledge Agency (ACIS)

Contact Address: Conselleria de Sanidade, Xunta de Galicia, San Lazaro s/n 15781 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Tel: 34 981 541831; Fax: 34 981 542854;

Contact Name: avalia-t@sergas.es

Contact Email: avalia-t@sergas.es

Copyright: Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T)