Fatal bronchopulmonary hemorrhage due to unrecognized amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis of the larynx and tracheobronchial tree is usually described as a nonbleeding lesion. However, severe hemorrhage, often fatal, is reported in other organs involved by this disease. A fatal bronchopulmonary hemorrhage was found in a 23-year-old woman unsuspected of having amyloidosis. The possible causes of hemorrhage in this disease are a vessel wall involvement or disturbances of the blood clotting mechanism.