[Incidence and clinical significance of the esophageal branches originating from the bronchial artery].

The authors investigated the incidence and extent of angiographic visualization of the esophageal branches originating from the bronchial arteries. Approximately 20% of 371 patients showed considerable blood flow to the esophagus. The left bronchial artery more often gives rise to the esophageal branches. Esophageal complications have been experienced in 8 cases following bronchial artery infusion of Mitomycin C for pulmonary carcinoma. Complications tend to occur in cases showing marked opacification of the esophageal veins or in those which a lesion locates in the peripheral portion of the lung. It is imperative to pay attention to esophageal branches of the bronchial artery in interventional angiography.