Pleural Biopsy

IN 1953 Sutliff, Hughes and Rice1 reported a series of 21 cases of pleural disease presenting various problems of management and diagnosis. Pleural biopsy in 17 cases showed granulomatous disease of the pleura compatible with the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Three cases showed neoplastic invasion of the pleura, and in 1 case yeast organisms identified as agents of North American blastomycosis were found. No mention was made whether these were consecutive cases or whether they were selected cases showing positive findings. The technic was one of open pleural biopsy. A portion of rib was resected, and the pleura exposed through an . . .