Exsanguinating hemoptysis revealing the absence of left pulmonary artery in an adult

Isolated absence of a pulmonary artery is an exceptional cause of massive h emoptysis. We report a 35-year-old woman with agenesis of the left pulmonar y artery who presented with exsanguinating hemoptysis that prompted angiogr aphy with the aim to embolize the bleeding vessels selectively. The procedu re could not be completed because of the presence of an anterior spinal art ery branching from the aberrant systemic-to-pulmonary circulation. The pati ent successfully underwent an emergent pneumonectomy. (C) 2001 by The Socie ty of Thoracic Surgeons.