Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for the diagnosis of vertebral infectious spondylodiscitis: a novel approach

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a technique that enables study of human cells obtained through aspiration in different locations near the gastrointestinal tract. Access routes described in the literature to obtain samples of cervical and thoracic regions are open biopsy and computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy. These techniques have some disadvantages as invasiveness and risk of complications in the case of open biopsy, as well as radiation emitted to the patient and not being a real time technique in the case of CT-guided biopsy.

We describe use of EUS-FNA as a novel approach able to target the cervical and thoracic regions in real time. We present our experience in the field of spondylodiscitis (cervical and thoracic), with the main objective of establishing debate on the possibilities of endoscopic ultrasound in this very complex anatomical area.

Publication History

Received: 04 December 2019

Accepted: 18 May 2020

Article published online:
21 July 2020

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