Percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy(PNAB) of the lung is a safe procedure for diagnosis of various pulmonary diseases but complications such as pneumothorax can occasionally develop. We reviewed the complications arising after PNAB and analysed the risk factors of pneumothorax.

We collected data by reviewing medical records and radiographic studies of 403 patients who underwent PNAB of the lung between 1988 and 2002 and analyzed the risk factors of pneumothorax.

The incidence of complication was 12.9%, 48 patients with pneumothorax and 4 patients with mild hemoptysis. Among the 48 pneumothorax patients, 35 patients showed mild(<20%) and was treated by only oxygen supply, 11 patients had severe pneumothorax(>50%) and chest tube insertion was done and 2 patients were treated by needle aspiration. As the results of multivariate analysis, size and location of lesion, location of approach, diagnosis of lesion showed no significant relationship, while age and gender of patients(p<0.05) and the depth of approach(p<0.001) were significantly related to pneumothorax. Smoking amount(p<0.001) as well as the smoking history(p<0.005) were also significantly related and the examiner displaying various incidence of pneumothorax from 4.0% to 23.1% among individuals also was a significant independent risk factor(p<0.05). While the average depth of approach for 13 patients treated by chest tube insertion or needle aspiration was 8.2±1.2cm, 35 patiens treated only by oxygen supply was 6.7 1.6cm suggesting that the depth of approach was lead to a severe pneumothorax.

The independent risk factors of pneumothorax, the most common complication after PNAB, are age and gender of patients, depth of approach, examiner of procedure, smoking history and smoking amount.