Bronchial Artery Embolization

Massive hemoptysis is a frightening and potentially life-threatening clinical event. Patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and cystic fibrosis develop markedly hypertrophied and fragile bronchial arteries that may lead to clinically significant hemoptysis. Surgical intervention is hazardous and often impossible in these patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Superselective catheterization of the bronchial arteries feeding the affected areas followed by particulate embolization has proven to be an effective treatment for the control of bleeding. With modern microcatheters and guidewires, bronchial artery embolization is safe and well tolerated by patients. Because this treatment does not directly influence the primary underlying disease, recurrent episodes of bleeding are likely, which will require additional embolization procedures. In patients who have undergone prior bronchial artery embolization, the dominant feeding arterial supply often originates from nonbronchial systemic collateral vessels.