Treatment of hemoptysis by embolization of the thoracic arteries with Ethibloc

Between November 1983 and July 1988 28 patients with haemoptysis were treated by transcatheter embolisation. Clinical follow-up of 22 patients revealed that 5 patients rebled within 21 days after embolization. Haemoptysis ceased completely in the remaining 17 patients. However, 2 patients rebled after 4 and 12 months, respectively. We observed two transient spinal cord injuries, most likely related to spinal cord ischaemia. In the first patient an intercostal artery was embolised with Ethibloc, in the second patient with Gelfoam. In summary, we can say that due to the inherent risk of spinal cord injury, embolisation should be restricted to patients in whom other forms of treatment failed or proved impossible. Ethibloc may be alternatively used for embolisation.