EBUS TBNA

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive technique allowing sampling of mediastinal lymph nodes via fine needle aspiration under direct sonographic visualization. The procedure is carried out using a special kind of bronchoscope. This is a thin flexible kind of 'telescope' that passes through the mouth and into the airways. The bronchoscope (often shortened to 'scope') allows doctors to see inside the lungs and carry out the procedure. One of the main uses for EBUS TBNA is in the staging of cancer. The stage of cancer is a measure of how much cancer has grown and spread. Depending on the type of cancer, there may be several different tests used to 'stage' cancer. The procedure itself usually takes about 30 minutes. However, it may take up to four hours for the whole appointment - to prepare, give time for the sedative to work, for the EBUS TBNA itself, and to recover.