Pulmonary hemorrhage and air embolism complicating transbronchial biopsy in pulmonary amyloidosis.

We describe a fatal complication of transbronchial biopsy in a patient with pulmonary parenchymal amyloidosis. Hemorrhage after biopsy required intubation and positive-pressure ventilation that resulted in massive arterial air embolism. Postmortem findings suggested that the bleeding and air embolism were related to persistent patency of biopsied blood vessels infiltrated with amyloid. Patients with pulmonary amyloidosis may be at increased risk of major complications after transbronchial biopsy.