A Case of Repeated Hemoptysis due to the Rupture of a Bronchial Artery Aneurysm Diagnosed by an Ultrathin Video-bronchoscope

Abstract

Background. Bronchial artery aneurysm is one of the causes of hemoptysis. It is sometimes difficult to identify its origin if it is quite small and located in a peripheral area. Case. An 84-year-old man presented at our hospital with massive hemoptysis. Five years earlier, he had had the same experience, but no origin was identified. Chest CT showed infiltration in the right S² segment of the right lung. Ultrathin fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a 1-mm pulsating nodular bronchial artery aneurysm with a clot in the right B²biiβ bronchus, and the patient underwent right bronchial arterial embolization. Conclusion. Ultrathin fiberoptic bronchoscopy was thought to be very useful in this case, in which the lesion was small and located at the 6th branch of the bronchus.