Implementing a Day-Surgery Clinical Pathway for CT-Guided Lung Biopsy: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of Safety, Efficacy, and Resource Efficiency

Computed tomography-guided percutaneous lung biopsy (CT-PLB) is a cornerstone diagnostic procedure for pulmonary lesions. While traditionally managed via inpatient admission, this model imposes considerable clinical and operational burdens. Day-surgery management offers a streamlined alternative, yet comparative evidence on its safety and efficiency remains scarce. The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing CT-PLB in 2024, comparing a day-surgery pathway (Day-Surgery Center) with the conventional inpatient pathway (oncology ward). Propensity score matching ensured group comparability. Outcomes focused on clinical management metrics: safety (complication/readmission rates), diagnostic performance, and health care efficiency (length of stay, cost). Among 154 patients, overall outcomes were favorable. After matching, the day-surgery cohort demonstrated comparable safety (complication rate 2.22% vs 6.67%, risk difference −4.45% [95% confidence interval, −12.0% to 3.4%]; P = 0.62) and comparable diagnostic accuracy (82.22% vs 79.17%, P = 0.84) relative to inpatients. Crucially, the day-surgery model significantly optimized efficiency, drastically reducing hospitalization duration and costs ( P < 0.001), with 100% patient satisfaction in both groups. Day-surgery CT‑PLB appears comparable to inpatient procedure in safety and diagnostic yield, with significantly lower costs and shorter hospital stay. Given the retrospective design and small sample size, these findings are hypothesis‑generating. Prospective, adequately powered validation is needed.