[The endovascular treatment of hemoptysis]

We studied 18 patients, 9 women and 9 men, ranging in age from 18 to 76 years. The main symptom was hemoptysis and the underlying pathology was tuberculosis, actinomycosis, lung cancer, metastatic carcinoma and systemic lupus. Nonsurgical patients, with recurrent hemoptysis or massive bleeding were selected. The embolization substances were spongostan, avitene (R) and PVA; they all produce temporary as well as persistent hemostasis. The procedure was successful in 16 patients. In two patients the embolization was not performed, one for technical reasons and the other because the vessel to be treated was the source of an anterior spinal artery. It is considered that the endovascular treatment constitutes an alternative for hemoptysis, even during the acute period, mainly in the management of nonsurgical patients.