Repeated Bronchial Artery Embolization for Massive Hemoptysis Due to Pulmonary Tuberculosis:The Long Term Therapeutic Effect and Safety

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect,complication and the safety of bronchial artery embolization (BAE) with gelatin sponge for massive hemoptysis caused by pulmonary tuberculosis. Materials and Methods 64 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis with massive hemoptysis (Group A) were retrospectively analyzed. The digital subtracted bronchial arteriogram was perfomed and bleeding arteries were embolized repetitively. 10~15 minutes later, the bronchial artery was repeated embolization utntil it was obturated complately. The same method was applied to obturate other non-bronchial ramus anastomoticus. Other 15 cases as control (Group B) were embolized only once. Results Immediately after embolization, bleeding stopped in 100% in both group A and B. In group A, the short-term efficiency, the long-term efficiency and recurence rate were 95.3%, 60.9% and 39.1% respectively. In group B, the short-term efficiency, the long-term efficiency and recurence rate were 80%, 27% and 73% respectively. There was no significant difference between two groups in the short-term efficiency (P0.05), but has significant difference in the long-term efficiency (P0.05). No serious complications occurred in all cases. Conclusion Bronchial artery embolization is a safe and efficient method for control massive hemoptysis due to pulmonary tuberculosis.Repeated bronchial artery embolization is better than only once embolization. The second embolization should be performed after the first embolization for 15 minutes.