[Note on the complications of pleural needle biopsy: neoplastic seeding of the wall (apropos of 300 effusions and 440 puncture biopsies)].

Out of 440 pleural biopsies done with Abrams or Castelain needle, performed over 11 years in 300 pleural effusions, only 14 incidents of accidents occurred. There were 9 minor ones (intrapleural bleeding, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumoserosa by aspiration). Neoplastic graft along the biopsy tract was observed in 5 cases, of which 4 were primitive malignant mesotheliomas and one a primitive appearing neoplastic pleurisy. The risk of parietal neoplastic seeding runs high in malignant mesothelioma, considering that 11 such cases were included in this series of biopsied patients. This risk is not specific to plaural biopsy and can be encountered in simple thoracentesis. This complication therefore is not a contra-indication to needle biopsy as it is only observed in diseases beyond surgical redemption.