Hemoptysis in a child with cervical and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. Case report

Hemoptysis is the expectoration of blood from the subglottic airway. The main causes in children are infections of the lower respiratory tract and aspiration of foreign bodies. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation is a rare etiology of hemoptysis, which involves abnormal communication between the arterial and venous system. Most vascular malformations are present at birth and enlarge proportionately with the growth of the child. Signs and symptoms include dyspnea, exercise intolerance, cyanosis and hemorrhagic or neurologic complications. We describe the clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and treatment of a child with this disease. We emphasize the importance of efficient systematic evaluation in every child with hemoptysis to identify the underlying etiology, since immediate treatment is essential because of the potential severity of this condition.