Wet vs. Dry Suction for Fine-Needle Aspiration of Solid Masses

Endoscopic ultrasound–guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has become the gold standard for sampling a variety of mediastinal and abdominal solid lesions, most commonly pancreatic tumors. However, considerable debate remains regarding the best technique to use for the procedure. Many endosonographers practice what is termed “dry suction,” whereby, after the target lesion is punctured, a stylet is removed from the needle, and a vacuum syringe is connected to the needle during tissue passes. A competing technique, termed “wet suction,” involves flushing the needle with saline and connecting it to a syringe containing saline under negative pressure during needle passes.

To compare these two techniques, investigators conducted a prospective, …