Bronchial artery embolization with detachable coils for the treatment of haemoptysis. Preliminary experience.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports our early experience in the treatment of haemoptysis with embolization of the bronchial arteries using detachable coils.


METHODS
Ten patients (mean age 45 years, range 23-83) with haemoptysis due to bronchoscopic biopsy of indeterminate lung nodules, lung cancer, tubercular bronchiectasis, cystic bronchiectasis or sarcoidosis underwent embolization of the bronchial arteries responsible for the bleeding using detachable coils. Patients were followed-up for a median of 14 months.


RESULTS
In all patients the procedure halted the bronchial bleeding within 24 hours. Eight patients had no recurrence of haemoptysis. In one patient with lung cancer and another with sarcoidosis, haemoptysis recurred within 1-3 months due to recruitment of additional feeding arteries and to a missed large feeding artery originating from the subclavian artery, which required a new procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of detachable coils for embolization of bronchial arteries in patients with haemoptysis is advantageous since it eliminates the risk of migration typical of other embolic materials and enables rapid and permanent vessel occlusion.
Nistri
M
M
Radiodiagnostic Section, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 85, Florence, Italy.
Acquafresca
M
M
Pratesi
A
A
Menchi
I
I
Villari
N
N
Mascalchi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001981:Bronchial Arteries; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome