Research

Approach to diagnosis and pathological examination in bronchial Dieulafoy disease: a case series

Antoine Parrot¹ , Martine Antoine² , Antoine Khalil³ , Jonathan Théodore¹ , Gilles Mangiapan¹ , Bernard Bazelly⁴ and Muriel Fartoukh¹

¹Service de Pneumologie et Unité de Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

²Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

³Service de Radiologie, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

⁴Service de Chirurgie Thoracique, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

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Respiratory Research 2008, 9:58doi:10.1186/1465-9921-9-58

Published:	5 August 2008

Abstract

Background

There are limited series concerning Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus. We describe the clinical presentation of a series of 7 patients diagnosed with Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus and provide information about the pathological diagnosis approach.

Patients and methods

A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for massive and unexplained recurrent hemoptysis in a referral center during a 11-year period.

Results

Seven heavy smoker (49 pack years) patients (5 males) mean aged 54 years experienced a massive hemoptysis (350–1000 ml) unrelated to a known lung disease and frequently recurrent. Bronchial contrast extravasation was observed in 3 patients, combining both CT scan and bronchial arteriography. Efficacy of bronchial artery embolization was achieved in 40% of cases before surgery. Pathological examination demonstrated a minute defect in 3 cases and a large and dysplasic superficial bronchial artery in the submucosa in all cases.

Conclusion

Dieulafoy disease should be suspected in patients with massive and unexplained episodes of recurrent hemoptysis, in order to avoid hazardous endoscopic biopsies and to alert the pathologist if surgery is performed.