Case report: separation from cardiopulmonary bypass with a rigid bronchoscope airway after hemoptysis and bronchial impaction with clot.

Hemoptysis after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) occasionally occurs, and has varying clinical significance based upon amount of bleeding. Hemoptysis resulting in a clot and airway obstruction is an extremely rare event found almost exclusively in the intensive care unit. We describe a unique case of hemoptysis resulting in bronchial impaction from a clot requiring an emergent return to CPB during valve replacement surgery. We used a rigid bronchoscope, without an endotracheal tube, to facilitate airway patency in a patient with diffuse airway bleeding after bronchial disimpaction to separate from CPB.