Toshimasa Uekusa, Kanto Rosai Hospital, Japan, for reviewing pathological findings. None of the authors has any significant conflict of interest with any companies/organizations whose products or services are discussed in this article. “
“Spontaneous hemomediastinum is rarely observed in clinical practice and is a potentially life-threatening condition. Underlying causes have

been categorized into three groups. First, spontaneous hemomediastinum may occur secondary to bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, or secondary to anticoagulant treatment. Secondly, mediastinal tumors (e.g. thymomas, teratomas), organs or blood vessels may be involved. Thirdly, one can distinguish spontaneous idiopathic hemomediastinum, which can particularly appear

Selleckchem Enzalutamide after sudden selleck inhibitor increase in intrathoracic pressure, (e.g. during coughing, sneezing or vomiting, or sudden sustained hypertension) [1] and [2]. In case of a primary problem of (large) blood vessels, the most common cause is aortic (aneurysm) dissection. Rupturing of a mediastinal bronchial artery aneurysm is a rather unusual cause of spontaneous hemomediastinum. Bronchial artery aneurysms are detected in less than 1% of all patients who undergo selective bronchial angiography [5]. A 76-year-old female patient with past medical history including acute rheumatic fever (childhood), osteoporosis and total abdominal hysterectomy presented herself at the emergency room because of acute thoracic pain. Apart from the pain, which radiated to both jaws and upper back, the patient had no other complaints. She was not using any medication. Physical examination was normal, with a blood pressure of 155/75 mmHg (equal in right and left arm), a regular pulse of 70 beats Baricitinib per minute and a temperature of 36.3 °C. The electrocardiography was normal, and no abnormalities were observed upon chest radiography and echocardiogram. Laboratory blood testing showed normal kidney and liver function, normal coagulation, a normal blood count and negative cardiac enzymes. The patient was

discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of atypical thoracic pain. Two weeks later she attended the emergency room again with similar severe thoracic pain. She also mentioned complaints of heart burn and dysphagia. A contrast-enhanced chest CT was performed upon suspicion of a pulmonary embolism. The CT ruled out a pulmonary embolism, but did reveal a large mass in the posterior mediastinum (Fig. 1) with an axial diameter of 5.5 cm and cranio-caudal diameter of 7.4 cm, that extended to the subcarinal level (Fig. 2). This mass showed contrast extravasation suggesting active bleeding. Angiography was performed, demonstrating a large (pseudo)aneurysm of the left bronchial artery (Fig. 3). Superselective embolization using coils was successfully carried out (Fig. 4) in a coaxial way, using a 5F Cobra catheter and a microcatheter for superselective embolization.