Abstract
Still today bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is an important procedure in the management of hemoptysis, as an alternative to, or in association with, surgical or medical therapy. From 1974 to 1990, BAE was performed in 209 patients who suffered from hemoptysis with different etiopathogeneses and se verity. Bronchiectasias were the most frequent indication (46%) followed by tuberculosis (31%), cystic fibrosis (16%), lung cancer (4%), and aspergillosis (3%). BAEs were performed by means of polyvinyl alcohol particles and ab sorbable gelatin sponge. In a few cases complete occlusion of the main truncus of particularly large bronchial arteries was obtained by use of Gianturco steel coin (5 mm o) technique. In the last seven years, together with the traditional angiographic techniques, selective digital angiography (SDA) was performed, above all in preliminary control phases, to evaluate occlusion during emboliza tion. SDA reduced catheterization time and the mean quantity of contrast ad ministered, decreasing side effects; 98% of hemoptysis was controlled in the first twenty-four hours, the other 2% in the following forty eight hours; 16% relapses occurred within the first year; 27 patients needed reembolization (15 patients twice, 11 patients three times, 1 patient five times). No complications were seen. If diagnosis, therapeutic indications, operative technique, and equip ment selection are adequate, BAE has a high reliability in patients affected by relapsing hemoptysis, which is difficult to resolve.
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