Additional percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty for residual or recurrent pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy

Abstract Background Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) has been the most effective therapy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). However, residual or recurrent pulmonary hypertension often persists after PEA. Recently, catheter-based angioplasty, called percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) or balloon pulmonary angioplasty, has been developed as a promising strategy for CTEPH. Therefore, the usefulness of PTPA for residual or recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA was investigated. Methods Thirty-nine patients underwent PEA from January 2000, and a total of 423 consecutive PTPA sessions in 110 patients were performed from January 2009 to May 2014. Of them, 9 patients (23.0% of 39 patients undergoing PEA and 8.2% of 110 patients undergoing PTPA) had undergone previous PEA and additional PTPA. Results In these 9 patients, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 15.6 (7.8–18.9) wood units at baseline, and significantly improved after PEA [5.6 (3.5–6.5) wood units] (p < 0.05). However, PVR gradually deteriorated before PTPA [8.1 (6.1–12.3) wood units] compared to after PEA, suggesting that these 9 patients had residual or recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA. PTPA was performed at 4.1 (2.7–7.9) years after PEA. Follow-up catheterization at 1.9 (1.3–3.3) years after PTPA revealed significant improvement of PVR [4.2 (2.8–4.8) wood units] (p < 0.05). Conclusions A hybrid approach combining PEA and additional PTPA may be reasonable for patients with both proximal and very distal lesions not easily approachable by PEA. PTPA could be a promising alternative therapeutic strategy for residual or recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA.