Background and Objectives: Endobronchial Ultrasonography with a guide sheath is widely used for diagnosing peripheral pulmonary nodules. However, biopsy from the edge of lesions has the disadvantage that the diagnostic rate is greatly reduced. A new lateral biopsy forceps was developed with the goal of collecting the required amount of specimen with a sufficient diagnostic rate even from the edge of the lesion. The prototype of the forceps was evaluated for the safety and function in cadaveric body.

Methods: We prototyped two types of new forceps and one type of new guide sheath. The study was approved by the medical ethics committee of Hokkaido University School of Medicine and conducted in compliance with laws and guidelines. We tried to make simulated lesion margin to target bronchus. We examined the possibility of reaching the lesion, the possibility of tissue sampling, and the frequency of difficult removal events during removal of the forceps.

Results: We created 4 simulated lesions located at the margin of the target bronchus on 2 cadaveric bodies. Forceps access to the lesion was possible with both of the two new forceps. In biopsy targeting a lesion, it was possible to perform a biopsy from the edge of the lesion in the direction to the center of lesion using both of the two new forceps. Among the collected samples, only components of simulated lesions were collected in all samples. There were several cases which was difficult to remove the forceps from the guide sheath, but the removal of the entire bronchoscope was possible in all biopsies and no detachment of parts occurred.

Conclusion: It was confirmed that the prototyped lateral forceps can be inserted into the target lesions and applicable to biopsy.