Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is rare, underdiagnosed form of pulmonary hypertension. It is caused by intravascular obstruction of pulmonary arteries due to fibrotic transformation of thromboembolic material and microvasculopathy. It is important to diagnose this variant as potentially curative treatment in the form of pulmonary endarterectomy is available. Last two decades have seen rapid advances in targeted medical management and refinement in balloon pulmonary angioplasty technique, which have provided a viable therapeutic option for patients who deemed to be inoperable.
Keywords: balloon pulmonary angioplasty; chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary artery pressure; pulmonary embolism; pulmonary endarterectomy; right heart catheterization; ventilation perfusion scan.
International College of Angiology. This article is published by Thieme.