Hemoptysis in a patient with congestive heart failure and pulmonary emboli

This article reports a case of profuse hemoptysis in pulmonary embolism and reviews the literature. A 74-year-old patient with hypertension and dilated cardiomyopathy was admitted to the hospital for exacerbation of congestive heart failure and hemoptysis. During hospitalization, the patient had hemoptysis of 270 cc during a 24-hour period. Chest radiograph showed bilateral lower lobe infiltration. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed and revealed active bleeding from both lower lobes of the lungs. An endobronchial lesion was not seen, and the patient had an open lung biopsy. Histological examination of the lung tissue revealed an organized thrombus.