[Bronchial artery embolization for treatment of mediastinal hemorrhage after pulmonary resection: report of a case]

Kyobu Geka. 2005 Dec;58(13):1169-72.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

We report a rare case of mediastinal hemorrhage after pulmonary resection. A 64-year-old woman with hypersensitivity pneumonitis was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the lung by bronchoscopical examination. Left lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. Sudden chest pain and dry cough developed 14 days after the operation. Her diastolic pressure rose transiently but electrocardiogram remained normal. Chest X-ray showed widening of the mediastinum and enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) showed extravasation of the contrast media just under the bifurcation of the trachea. Multi projection volume reconstruction revealed mediastinal hemorrhage from the bronchial artery. The chest pain disappeared after a successful bronchial artery embolization and the patient discharged 21 days later. Hemorrhage after pulmonary resection is a common complication, but no previous report has described mediastinal hemorrhage occurring 2 weeks after the operation. In a similar case, bronchial artery embolization is a reliable and minimally invasive therapy for mediastinal hemorrhage.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery
  • Bronchial Arteries
  • Embolization, Therapeutic*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery
  • Mediastinum
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonectomy*
  • Postoperative Hemorrhage / etiology*
  • Postoperative Hemorrhage / therapy*