What is the difference between the single needle technique and the coaxial needle technique of percutaneous biopsy?
Biopsy procedures can be performed with a single-needle technique, using a fine needle for obtaining the sample. Alternatively, a coaxial needle technique can be used, whereby an introducer needle is placed in or near the lesion and through which a smaller caliber biopsy needle is advanced to the target. This procedure allows the operator to obtain several samples, including simultaneous fine-needle and core biopsies, through single-needle localization. The disadvantage of this technique is that it requires the use of a larger caliber introducer, which may be more traumatic, especially in the lung, and is associated with a higher rate of bleeding complications.
