Bronchial artery aneurysm as a cause of atelectasis.

ABSTRACT

A 54-year-old nonsmoker female developed atelectasis of the anterior basal segment of the right lower lobe. A non-pulsating endobronchial tumor was observed bronchoscopically obstructing the right basal bronchus. The tumor was confirmed on arteriography to be a saccular aneurysm of the right bronchial artery. The aneurysm was treated with bronchial artery embolization. Bronchial artery aneurysm, without a predisposing disease, is quite rare, but should be considered as an etiological factor of atelectasis.