Non-bronchial collateral supply from the left gastric artery in massive haemoptysis

Two patients presented with recurrent, massive haemoptysis. Arteriography, including thoracoabdominal aortograms, revealed in both cases large non-bronchial collaterals arising from the left gastric artery. In the first case the non-bronchial collateral supplied the upper left lobe and in the second case it supplied the middle right lobe. Percutaneous embolisation of bronchial and non-bronchial collateral branches has become an accepted procedure in controlling massive or recurrent haemoptysis. Accurate identification of the non-bronchial collateral arterial feeders is essential for successful embolo therapy.