Surgical and Percutaneous Interventions for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

The treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension has expanded considerably. The ability to endarterectomize chronic thromboembolic material, the availability of pulmonary hypertension medical therapy to treat inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and/or residual pulmonary hypertension, and the rebirth of pulmonary balloon angioplasty have changed the management landscape. Patient selection requires a multidisciplinary evaluation at an experienced center. What is inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension to one group may be operable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension to another. The ultimate challenge then becomes which intervention provides the optimal long-term outcome for any individual patient.

Keywords: Balloon pulmonary angioplasty; Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; Chronic thromboembolism; Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy; WHO group IV pulmonary hypertension.