[Successful management of massive hemoptysis, following pulmonary mycosis by bronchial artery embolization in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

In June 1987, a 20-year-old man was diagnosed as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In August, at a nadir period of the remission induction chemotherapy, he complained of high fever and dry cough. A chest roentgenogram also showed a nodular area of increased density in the left upper lobe. Since his clinical state deteriorated progressively despite the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, amphotericin B was administered intravenously (with an initial dose of 5 mg/day, increased up to 25 mg/day). Concomitant with bone marrow recovery and continued antifungal therapy, he became soon afebrile and improved over the next 2 months. The infiltrates also began to resolve. Then he abruptly coughed up about 800 ml of blood and suffered from acute respiratory failure. Bronchial arteriographic studies demonstrated active extravasation of contrast medium in the region of the cavity. After therapeutic embolization with Gelfoam, the extravasation was no longer observed. Active bleeding abruptly ceased and had not recurred until the left upper lobectomy which was performed 10 days after the embolization. This case typically demonstrates the value of bronchial arterial embolization in treating massive hemoptysis.