Value of bronchial artery embolisation with platinum coils in tumorous pulmonary bleeding

We performed bronchial artery embolizations (BAE) using platinum coils with Dacron fibres in 30 consecutive patients with haemoptysis due to bronchial carcinoma. The aim of the study was to compare immediate results of bleeding cessation, recurrence and survival rates with a historical control group of 15 patients with tumorous pulmonary bleeding who were treated conservatively (non-BAE-group). Bronchial artery embolisation with platinum coils stopped active bleeding in all patients immediately. Comparing the BAE group and controls the cessation of first time haemoptysis (BAE 100% versus non-BAE 93%) and the rates of bleeding recurrence (BAE 50% versus non-BAE 47%) were similar in either group. In case of recurrent bleeding, repeated BAE led to a definite cessation of pulmonary haemorrhage in every case. In contrast, all patients with recurrent haemoptysis without a repeated BAE (8 patients, 27%) and all patients with bleeding recurrence in the non-BAE group died from pulmonary haemorrhage (8 patients, 53%). The mean survival time of the BAE group was significantly longer compared with the non-BAE group, 139 (range: 1-818) days versus 62 (range: 1-186) days (P<0.05). We conclude that consistent BAE proved beneficial in tumorous pulmonary bleeding, particularly with regard to the permanent arrest of haemorrhage in case of recurrence.