Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2005; 33(7): 423-432

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Meral Kayıkçıoğlu¹, Lewis J Rubin^2
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Although chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a serious disease with high mortality, it is potentially a curable form of pulmonary hypertension. It is thought to develop from organized pulmonary arterial obstructions by single and recurrent pulmonary thromboemboli or from in situ thrombosis. Definitive treatment requires surgical resection of the thromboembolic material. Early diagnosis and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy may improve hemodynamics and functional capacity, and thus survival. Without treatment, progressive pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and death will ensue. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of CTEPH, to review current methods of diagnosis, and to summarize the effects of drug therapy and interventions on CTEPH, together with a detailed account on the effects of pulmonary endarterectomy.

Keywords: Chronic disease; endarterectomy/methods; hypertension, pulmonary/complications/surgery; pulmonary circulation; pulmonary embolism/complications/surgery; survival rate; thromboembolism/complications; vascular patency.

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