Incidence of Bacteremia Following Endo-Bronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) Guided Trans-Bronchial Needle Aspiration (TBNA) – A Prospective Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:The risk of bacteremia following bronchoscopy procedures is well studied but limited data exists on bacteremia following Endo-Bronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) Guided Trans-Bronchial Needle Aspiration (TBNA). This prospective study aimed to assess bacteremia incidence following EBUS-TBNA, compare the findings to other studies made for various bronchoscopy procedures and evaluate the necessity of antibiotic prophylaxis. METHODS:We prospectively collected blood cultures pre- and post-procedure from 100 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA in a single large center. RESULTS:The study revealed a 3 % bacteremia following EBUS-TBNA with no correlation between bacteremia and lymph node location or size. CONCLUSION:The results align with prior bronchoscopy studies, suggesting bacteremia rates range between 2 % and 7 %, with no clear association with procedure type.