The Arterial Embolization with Glue-Lipiodol Mixture in Patients with Hemoptysis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of bronchial and intercostal arterial embolization using a glue-lipiodol mixture in patients with hemoptysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 1997 and June 1999, 24 patients underwent 30 sessions of bronchial and intercostal arterial embolization using a glue-lipiodol mixture. The cause of hemoptysis was tuberculosis (n=11), bronchiectasis (n=9) or aspergilloma (n=4). Particular attention was paid to the source of bleeding, type and rate of complication and rate of recurrence, and the cause of recurrence and the duration of the asymptomatic period after bronchial and intercostal arterial embolization in patients with recurrent hemoptysis were also analysed. In addition, the asymptomatic period after bronchial and intercostal arterial emboilzation was classified as 24 hours or less, 7 days or less, or 6months or less. RESULTS: In all 24 cases, hemoptysis ceased immediately after bronchial and intercostal arterial embolization. In 18 cases, the focus of bleeding was a bronchial artery arising from the aorta, and in three of these cases there was also intercostal artery bleeding. In the remaining cases, the focus of bleeding was the right bronchial artery arising from the bronchointercostal trunk (n=5), or the intercostal artery only (n=1). During six of 24 sessions (25%) hemoptysis recurred within six months, but there was no recurrence within 24 hours or 7 days. The causes of recurrence were bleeding from systemic collaterals (n=5) and from another nonembolized bronchial artery (n=1). Retrosternal burning sensation (n=13; 43%) and shoulder pain (n=2; 7%) were detected but no complications critical. CONCLUSION: Because it involves non-recanalization of embolized vessels, bronchial and intereostol arterial embolization with a glue-lipiodol mixture can effectively control hemoptysis.