Is There a Role for a Needle Thoracoscopic Pleural Biopsy under Local Anesthesia for Pleural Effusions?

Background: A closed pleural biopsy is commonly performed for diagnosing patients exhibiting pleural effusion if prior thoracentesis is not diagnostic. However, the diagnostic yield of such biopsies is unsatisfactory. Instead, a thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is more useful and less painful.