Exploring the optimal freeze time and passes of the ultrathin cryoprobe in transbronchial cryobiopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions

Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) is an invaluable technique for obtaining high-quality lung tissue samples 1. Its utilization in peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL) is on the rise due to its potential to enhance diagnostic yield, especially in lesions which are adjacent to the airway 2, 3. However, despite clear recommendations regarding freezing time and the number of passes using conventional 1.9 mm and 2.4 mm cryoprobes in interstitial lung disease (ILD) biopsies, PPL-TBCB remains unstandardized 4. Furthermore, the introduction of the 1.7 mm and 1.1 mm single-use cryoprobes have necessitated further investigations to determine the optimal number of passes and freezing time for PPL-TBCB. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: The authors have nothing to disclose.