Transcatheter Embolization of a Rare Pulmonary Arterio-Arterial Malformation in a Nine-Year-Old Boy

Pulmonary arterio-arterial malformations exceptionally occur as rare vascular anomalies in the pediatric population, as they often challenge diagnoses because their symptoms are nonspecific. We report a previously healthy nine-year-old boy presenting with acute hematemesis initially suspected to be of gastrointestinal (GI) origin. Upper GI endoscopy and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) evaluation revealed normal findings; however, further investigations were indeed needed. Bronchoscopy, computed tomography (CT) angiography, and cardiac catheterization revealed a localized pulmonary hemorrhage because of an arterio-arterial malformation in the posterior basal segment of the right lung. The anomaly was successfully managed via transcatheter coil embolization. The management was successful. This case shows that thinking about uncommon lung blood vessel problems matters as you create possible diagnoses of child blood in the sputum or vomit, especially with early tests that are unclear. It also highlights the fact that multidisciplinary teams do critically collaborate to diagnose and then manage complex pediatric presentations.