• P S Batra and L D Holinger.
• Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Box 25, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
• Arch Otolaryngol. 2001 Apr 1; 127 (4): 377-82.

ObjectiveTo review the diagnostic and treatment strategies of hemoptysis in children.DesignRetrospective analysis of patients evaluated between January 1, 1995, and August 31, 1999.SettingTertiary pediatric referral center.PatientsNineteen consecutive children presenting with hemoptysis to the otolaryngology service.ResultsChest radiography and bronchoscopy established the correct etiology in 15 patients. Infection and tracheostomy-related complications were the most common underlying problems. Other causes included congenital heart disease, pulmonary hemosiderosis, inflammatory bronchial mass, cystic fibrosis, factitious hemoptysis, and esophagitis. Appropriate management, ranging from antibiotics to emergency embolization, resulted in control of hemoptysis in all patients.ConclusionsHemoptysis is a rare but potentially life-threatening symptom of underlying respiratory tract abnormality in children. An efficient systematic evaluation is imperative to identifying the underlying etiology; aggressive management is important because of the potential severity of the problem. The otolaryngologist plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management, by flexible endoscopy of the nose, nasopharynx, and larynx, and through the use of rigid bronchoscopy, especially in cases of massive hemoptysis.

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