Original Article

Long term outcomes of bronchial artery embolization for hemoptysis in patients with cystic fibrosis

10.5455/gulhane.17220

  • Savaş Tepe

Received Date: 17.03.2012 Accepted Date: 08.05.2012 Gulhane Med J 2013;55(1):27-31

Aim:

Bronchial artery embolization is known to be effective in the acute control of hemoptysis secondary to cystic fibrosis complication. In this retrospective study 14-year-experience of our clinic with embolization for treatment of hemoptysis in patients with cystic fibrosis is reviewed. The results with coil and polyvinyl alcohol microparticule embolizations are demonstrated.

Material and Method:

15 patients (age range 19-54) with cystic fibrosis presented with major or persistent hemoptysis that required 33 embolizations from September 1994 to November 2009.

Results:

Hemoptysis stopped within a day after embolization in all fifteen patients. There were no major immediate complications within 24 hours for coil only or polyvinyl alcohol microparticule only sessions or the combination of these. Mean survival duration after the first embolization was 58 months (average follow up 72 months; range 3-168 months, including all patients). One patient died, two patients underwent lung transplant during the follow up period.

Conclusion:

In our retrospective study with 15 patients and 33 embolization sessions which include 9 patients with more than one embolization demonstrated high success rate in short term. Long term results however showed that 9 out of 15 patients (60%) required repeated embolization.

Keywords: Angiography; Embolization; Lung