Diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma via thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy: a case report

To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy for pleural mesothelioma (PM). We present a diagnostically complex case of recurrent right pleural effusion that was ultimately confirmed as PM through thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy, along with a comprehensive literature review. A 54-year-old male presented with a two-year history of recurrent right pleural effusion. Initial diagnostic attempts including thoracentesis with biochemical analysis and computed tomography (CT)-guided pleural biopsy were inconclusive. Definitive diagnosis was achieved via thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy, with histopathological and immunohistochemical confirmation of pleural mesothelioma(epithelioid subtype). Literature review confirmed this as the first reported case utilizing this specific diagnostic approach for thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy in PM. Thoracoscopic visceral pleural snare biopsy represents a valuable diagnostic tool for PM, particularly in cases where conventional diagnostic methods fail to yield conclusive results.