1994 Volume 16 Issue 6 Pages 566-570
The patient was a 63-year-old man who had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis by surgicaly creation of a pneumothorax in 1955. In 1988, he developed hemoptysis. He was diagnosed as having tuberculous empyema of the pneumothorax. He received chemotherapy with isonicotinic asid hydrazide and rifampicin for about 1 year. In July 1993, hemoptysis occurred abruptly on coughing and blood subsequently appeared persistently in the phlegm. The patient was admitted on the next day. Imaging studies revealed calcification of pyothorax which had developed after creation of a pneumothorax, and bronchoscopy detected a wedge-shaped bronchial stone at the right B^9 orifice. Transbronchial lithectomy was attempted, but was abandoned when hemorrhage occurred again. Subsequently, the site of bleeding was confirmed by bronchial arteriograpy and embolization was carried out. After this procedure, transbronchial lithectomy was attempted again and was completed successfuly without hemorrhage.
