Fatal mediastinal biopsy: How interventional radiology saves the day

Fatal mediastinal biopsy: How interventional radiology saves the day

Blog Article

This was a case of a 35-year-old helen dale samson man with mediastinal mass requiring computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy for tissue diagnosis.A posterior approach with an 18-gauge biopsy needle was used to obtain tissue sample.Post biopsy, patient condition deteriorated and multiphase CT study detected active bleeding in arterial phase at the biopsy site with massive hemothorax.

Subsequent angiography showed arterial mariya b vol 3 bleeder arising from the apical branch of the right pulmonary artery.Selective endovascular embolization with NBCA (n-Butyl cyanoacrylate) was successful.Patient survived the complication.

The case highlighted a rare complication in a common radiology procedure and the value of the interventional radiology unit in avoiding a fatal outcome.