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Objectives: Presently open lung biopsy (OLB) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung disease (DILD). The aim of this study was to reevaluate the role of OLB in the management, outcome and the survival rate of patients with DILD.
Design: Retrospective analysis between 1995-2000
Setting: Tertiary care state hospital
Patients: All of the patients had undergone OLB operation and their initial diagnosis was DILD according to their radiologic impressions.
Measurements and Results: We retrospectively evaluated 17 patients, 12 male and 5 female aged between 12-54 (mean 39,5). Postoperatively all patients had the definitive diagnosis histopatho- logically. The initial diagnosis was made according to the clinical signs, radiologic impressions, and laboratory tests. These results were then compared with the definitive diagnosis. The diagnosis and the therapy of 9 of the 17 patients did not change from the original diagnosis and treatment regimens. But in the rest of the patients, initial diagnosis was not consistent with the definitive diagnosis and in 4 of these the therapy also changed.
Conclusion: We conclude that after following certain procedures and reevaluating the survival rate of patients, OLB should be performed if thought as necessary.