Value of Bronchial Artery Embolization in Management of Massive Hemoptysis

Abstract

Background: hemoptysis confers a great morbidity on patients' quality of life, and depending on its cause, some patients may be unfit for open thoracotomy surgeries, so interventional radiology here offers a very promising alternative as a less traumatic, more convenient way of treating such patients, although on the expense of relatively high technical demands. Aim of the study: To assess the main findings and possible outcomes of patients suffering from hemoptysis and treated by bronchial artery embolization. Patients and methods: Patients were retrospectively evaluated from September 2015 to January 2017, 14 patients (8 males and 6 females) referred to Babel center of cardiac catheterization & surgery complain from massive hemoptysis. Results: The most common cause of hemoptysis was TB, followed by bronchiectasis. Non-bronchial systemic arteries, which were observed in five (35.71%) patients. Two patients had left internal mammary, two patients had Left thyrocervical trunk, and only one had Left fifth intercostal artery. The most common angiographic vascular patterns were a combination of Neovascularity/ hypervascularity and Hypervascularity/ hypertrophy. There were no complications recorded during or after the embolization, also there was 100% technical success rate. The recurrence rate of hemoptysis during one month was 21.43%, and the same rate was observed after three months. Conclusions: Interventional radiology is an evolving branch in Iraq, and this study showed promising results. There was a high technical success rate associated with relatively high recurrence rate.