Nebulised local anaesthetic may occasionally be used, but should only be commenced after assessment by a specialist in palliative care or respiratory medicine.
Haemoptysis
Haemoptysis
Step one
Diagnose the cause and treat if possible
Step two
Palliative radiotherapy
Step three
Ask for help
Can be due to acute or chronic infection as well as tumour progression. It is essential to consider the possibility of a pulmonary embolus. If an embolus is suspected and the patient is felt to have a reasonable or uncertain prognosis then acute management should be started immediately, usually via admission to hospital. Remember that expectorated blood may not have come from the lungs, but can come from the nasopharynx or upper GI tract.
