Repeat Episodes of Massive Hemoptysis Due to an Anomalous Origin of the Right Bronchial Artery in a Patient with a History of Coccidioidomycosis

Anomalous bronchial arteries originate outside the space bound by the T5 and T6 vertebrae at the major bronchi. Here, we highlight a case of a 37-year-old man with a past medical history of coccidioidomycosis and who presented with massive hemoptysis. A bronchial angiogram showed the patient had a right bronchial artery originating anomalously from the left subclavian artery. The patient ultimately underwent a bronchial artery embolization, after which he achieved symptomatic remission.

Bronchial Artery to Pulmonary Artery Fistula Presenting with Massive Hemoptysis in a Pediatric Patient

Hemoptysis is a serious and potentially life-threatening event. Mortality is estimated at 13% for this chief complaint with age, volume of hemoptysis and receipt of blood products as risk factors for mortality. Hemoptysis is mostly seen in those with underlying congenital cardiac conditions or Cystic Fibrosis. We describe a unique case of a previously healthy 10 year old male who presented to the ED by EMS with a moderate volume episode of hemoptysis. He was admitted to the PICU where a sudden episode of massive hemoptysis precipitated by forced respiratory effort occurred during his examination. He decompensated and was emergently brought to the OR for airway evaluation by ENT and pulmonology. A large clot was found in the RML segment with brisk bleeding following removal of the clot. A 5 Fr bronchial blocker was placed to achieve hemostasis. Bronchial artery angiogram by IR demonstrated extravasation of contrast from right bronchial artery to segmental right lower lobe pulmonary artery shunt. He underwent embolization of the right bronchial artery. He was extubated the following day after no recurrent bleeding was confirmed with bronchoscopy. BA-PA fistulas are rare vascular anomalies in which an anastomosis is formed between systemic and pulmonary arteries. They are most commonly acquired, often described as secondary to chronic inflammatory lung diseases. BA-PA fistulas can also be congenital and have been seldom described in the literature. Our case highlights the importance of this rare diagnosis, which must remain on a pediatric pulmonologist’s differential due to the significant associated mortality.

Haemoptysis due to an atypical right bronchial artery branching from the left subclavian artery evaluated by four-dimensional CT and bronchial arteriography

Haemoptysis can be a life-threatening condition, and bronchial artery embolisation (BAE) is the most effective treatment. A 19-year-old man who had been followed up for neutrophil migration failure and bronchiectasis since birth was admitted to our department with repeated haemoptysis. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed hyperplasia and tortuosity of the bronchial artery; however, it could not reveal the origin and running by the axial views. Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) CT revealed branching of the right bronchial artery from the left subclavian artery and a bronchial artery–pulmonary artery shunt. Bronchial angiography confirmed these findings. Based on these findings, BAE was successfully performed. 3D and 4D CT can be useful for determining the cause of haemoptysis. Furthermore, evaluating the anatomy of bronchial arteries prior to BAE may be useful for performing safer procedures.

A Case of Congenital Bronchial Pulmonary Arterial Malformation Successfully Treated by Embolization

Idiopathic bronchial pulmonary arterial malformation (BPAM) is a very rare condition. The authors present a case of BPAM in which a right bronchial artery communicates with a main upper lobe branch of the right pulmonary artery. It was successfully treated by embolization in one setting. The patient remained asymptomatic and well during the follow-up period. The authors therefore conclude that if the embolic material/device is carefully chosen, it is a safe and effective means of treating BPAM.