Diagnostic Performance and Safety Profile of Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Conventional electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy and other guided bronchoscopic modalities have a very desirable safety profile, but their diagnostic yield is only 60-70% for pulmonary lesions. Recently, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) platforms have been introduced to improve the diagnostic performance of bronchoscopic modalities. To determine the diagnostic performance and safety profile of RAB (using shape-sensing and electromagnetic navigation-based platforms) by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Safety of Transbronchial Biopsies in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Transbronchial lung biopsies (TBLBs) are commonly performed by pulmonologists. Most providers consider pulmonary hypertension to be at least a relative contraindication to TBLB. This practice is based primarily on expert opinion, as there are very few patient outcomes data backing it.

Orphan Lung Diseases.

There are hundreds of rare orphan lung diseases. We have highlighted five of them, one from each of the five major categories of pulmonary disorders: pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (a rare diffuse parenchymal lung disease), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (a rare autoimmune and diffuse parenchymal lung disease), lymphangioleiomyomatosis (a rare cystic lung disease), yellow nail syndrome (a rare pleural disease), and Mounier-Kuhn syndrome (a rare airway disorder). The pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, treatment options, and prognosis of each disorder is discussed.