A rare constellation of empyema, lung abscess, and mediastinal abscess as a complication of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration

The introduction of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) brought about significant advancement in the field of bronchoscopy. The major indications for EBUS-TBNA are lung cancer staging and diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. This procedure is minimally invasive and cost saving, and no complications have been described in large-scale studies. In this report, we present a case of empyema, lung abscess, and mediastinal abscess that developed in a patient undergoing EBUS-TBNA; the patient subsequently recovered uneventfully after aggressive surgical debridement and antimicrobial therapy.