BRONCHIAL ARTERIES IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Selective catheterization and visualization of the right bronchial artery was carried out in twenty patients. Five patients either had no evidence of lung disease or a minimal degree of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); in all five the bronchial arteries were normal. Fifteen patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which varied from mild to severe. In these fifteen patients the bronchial arteries were enlarged; however, there was no correlation between the size of these arteries and the changes in pulmonary vessels observed on angiograms, impairment in pulmonary function, cough and dyspnea. Nine of the fifteen patients had no evidence of lung disease other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Four patients had bullous emphysema, one patient had severe bronchiolectasis and one patient had severe bronchiectasis in addition to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The bronchial arteries in patients with bullae and the patient with bronchiolectasis were similar to those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; however, in the patient with bronchiectasis this artery was markedly enlarged. © 1969.