Recurrent embolotherapy in Dieulofoy's disease of the bronchus

Abstract

Dieulafoy's disease is a vascular anomaly characterized by the presence of a dysplastic artery that is related to an epithelial ulcer. The French surgeon Georges Dieulafoy first described it in 1898. Most frequently, it is a gastrointestinal condition, but occurrence in the bronchus has been reported in a few cases. The case of a 52-year-old man with massive hemoptysis, for which he underwent successful embolotherapy 10 years previously, is described. Over the next 10 years, he had several hospital admissions due to hemoptysis, and he underwent successful embolotherapy on each occasion. This case report underlines the importance of bronchial arteriography as the investigation of choice for massive hemoptysis.