ARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION IN THE CHEST

Transcatheter therapy is an effective technique in the treatment of va scular abnormalities in the chest. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformatio ns, associated with the clinical sequellae of dyspnea, stroke, brain a bscess, and hemoptysis, can be treated by transcatheter embolization w ith metallic coils or occlusion balloons. The results of treatment are excellent, with improvement seen in symptoms and physiologic paramete rs. The bronchial arteries and systemic nonbronchial collateral arteri es supplying the tracheobronchial tree are most frequently involved in massive hemoptysis, a serious disorder with associated high rates of morbidity and mortality. Transcatheter embolization of these arteries is both safe and effective, requiring a thorough understanding of the arterial anatomy and technique of embolization.