Massive Hemoptysis in Mitral Stenosis

IN a carefully analyzed series of 150 cases of rheumatic heart disease with pure or predominant tight mitral stenosis, Bradlow1 found a history of hemoptysis in 36.5 per cent. In most cases hemorrhage is mild and self-limited.2 On rare occasions, however, bleeding may become sufficiently massive to constitute a serious threat to life. When this occurs, death may result from asphyxia owing to the accumulation of blood in the tracheobronchial tree.3 4 5 6 7 Supportive measures usually employed in the management of pulmonary hemorrhage may be inadequate to control the bleeding. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate that when such a . . .