Abstract

PINO ALFONSO, Pedro Pablo et al. Estudio endoscópico de 500 pacientes con hemoptisis. Rev cubana med [online]. 2002, vol.41, n.4, pp. 199-206. ISSN 1561-302X.

The database of the Bronchoscopy Department of the Pneumology Service of "Hermanos Ameijeiras" Hospital was reviewed and the 500 bronchoscopies that were performed to the same number of patients with hemoptysis from January, 1996, to January, 2001, were chosen. The results were as follows: 330 (66 %) patients were males and 170 (34 %) were females. Average age was 60 years old with a range from 18 to 85, and 440 (88 %) used to smoke. The final diagnosis was lung neoplasia, 290 (58 %); chronic bronchitis, 95 (19 %); and bronchiectasia, 70 (14 %). The cause of hemoptysis could not be determined in 25 (5 %) and there 20 (4 %) with other diagnoses. The magnitude of hemoptysis was related to diagnosis in 453 (90.6 %). % had mild to moderate bleeding and it was severe in only 47 (9.4 %), independently of the cause. On performing bronchoscopy, blood was detected in the airways of 280 patients (56 %), whereas no blood rests were found in 220 (44 %). The test proved to be useful to know the origin of the bleeding in 300 (60 %). In all, the etiology of hemoptysis was obtained with bronchoscopy and its procedures in 336 cases (67.2 %). Once more, it was shown that the endoscopic study of the airways in patients with hemoptysis is of vital importance.

Keywords : HEMOPTYSIS [diagnosis]; HEMOPTYSIS [etiology]; ENDOSCOPY.