Impact of Gelatin Sponge on Reducing Pulmonary Hemorrhage in CT-Guided Lung Biopsies: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Abstract Background: Gelatin sponges are widely used as embolic agents to reduce bleeding in various surgical procedures. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of gelatin sponges in decreasing pulmonary bleeding during CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Henan Cancer Hospital, including patients who underwent PTNB from January to December 2022. Patients were categorized based on the use of gelatin sponges. Propensity score matching generated 1052 matched pairs, and machine learning models were utilized to predict the risk of pulmonary hemorrhage. Results: A total of 1826 patients (mean age 64 ± 10 years; 986 men) were analyzed. The use of gelatin sponges resulted in a 6.46% reduction in severe pulmonary hemorrhage compared to the non-gelatin sponge group (p = 0.034). Logistic regression identified gelatin sponges as a significant protective factor (coefficient: -0.28, p = 0.029). Conclusions: Gelatin sponges significantly reduce the risk of pulmonary hemorrhage in PTNB procedures, suggesting a potential improvement in patient safety and clinical outcomes.