Bronchial Artery Embolization for Moderate to Massive Hemoptysis

Purpose of study: Hemoptysis is a common emergency coming to the pulmonary medicine and general Medicine department. Massive hemoptysis has high mortality even after surgical treatment. Bronchial artery embolization is an effective alternative to surgery for controlling hemoptysis, with high success rate. Material and methods: 74 consecutive patients coming to our hospital with moderate to severe hemoptysis were subjected to bronchial artery embolization (BAE). Femoral arterial puncture was the commonest approach. Some patients, where the culprit vessel was arising from subclavian artery, were approached from radial artery puncture. All patients were embolized with poly vinyl alcohol particles. Results: Out of 74 patients, 54 were male and 20 were female. The mean age was 46.67±14.58 yrs. Cause of hemoptysis was tuberculosis in 64 patients, bronchiectasis in two, aspergillosis in two and in six, the cause was not known. Total 192 vessels were embolized, 86 bronchial, 43 from subclavian, 53 intercostal and 20 internal mammary. Within one year, recurrence occurred in 13 patients three of whom died. In 9 patients, the bleeding was controlled with repeat BAE.