The Impact of an Interventional Pulmonary Program on Nontherapeutic Lung Resections

Background: Pulmonary resection can concurrently diagnose and treat known or suspected lung cancer, but is not without risk. Benign resection rates range widely (9% to 40%). We evaluated the impact of an Interventional Pulmonology (IP) program and dedicated Pulmonary Nodule Clinic on surgical benign resection rates at a single institution. Methods: An IP program was initiated in August 2010 that offered advanced diagnostic techniques and a dedicated Pulmonary Nodule Clinic was opened in August 2013. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent resection for known or suspected lung cancer between 2005 and 2015 at our tertiary referral hospital. Demographics, preoperative tissue diagnoses, surgical procedure, final pathology, and staging were collected. Quarterly benign resection rates were calculated and plotted on a statistical quality control chart (P-Chart) to determine the impact of the IP program and Pulmonary Nodule Clinic on benign resection rates over time. Results: Of 1112 resections, 209 (19%) were benign. Variation in quarterly benign resection rates decreased after introduction of the IP program in 2010, and a significant (P
Source: Journal of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology - Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: Research Letters Source Type: research