Bronchial artery embolization in the control of massive haemoptysis

Bronchial artery embolization is a useful palliative treatment for life-threatening haemoptyses where surgery is contra-indicated. Patients presenting with haemoptyses complicating cystic fibrosis and aspergilloma have been embolized. Control of haemoptysis was achieved in the former, but late recurrence of haemoptysis in the latter led to asphyxiation.