Bronchial Artery Embolization as a Treatment of Hemoptysis Induced by Pulmonary Metastasis from Malignant Melanoma

Authors

1 Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Research Center,

2 Department of Radiology, Imam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran,

3 Department of Internal Medicine, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran,

4 Department of Radiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Lung metastasis is a rare cause of hemoptysis. Bronchial artery embolization is an effective intervention for treatment of hemoptysis with various underlying etiologies. A 28-year-old man with a known history of malignant melanoma in the neck from 6 years ago and lung metastasis from 1 year ago referred to the Emergency Department of our teaching hospital with the chief complaint of hemoptysis. Chest x-ray and pulmonary CT-scan showed multiple pulmonary nodules with different sizes in both lung parenchyma. The patient’s hemoptysis did not resolve completely in spite of appropriate medical treatment. The patient was then referred to the endovascular unit of the vascular department in our hospital and underwent bilateral bronchial artery embolization. With this procedure his symptoms resolved completely and he was discharged after a week.

Keywords