Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy for Chronic Pulmonary Embolism

pp 695-701

Abstract

The results of pulmonary thromboendart erectomy in 4 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, functional class IV, critic right ventricular dysfunction and ascitis were analyzed. Two patients had been referred to cardiopulmonary transplant with a diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension. One patient died during surgery, the remaining three patients showed a significant improvement of their functional class in their follow up at 49, 29, and 12 month respectively. Even though a high surgical risk is expected because it is carried out in a critically ill population, pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is the first therapeutic option in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to recurrent thromboembolic disease refractory to medical treatment.