Aim: To assess the frequency and severity of complications of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) using C-arm computed tomography (CACT) guidance.
Material and methods: 266 consecutive interventions in 67 patients (42 females, mean age 66 ± 13 years) were included. Selective CACT was acquired prior to the intervention for three-dimensional (3D) guidance and to select appropriate balloon size based on the measured vessel diameter. Complications during and after the procedure, the need for further interventions and the impact on patient safety and outcome were assessed and categorised according to the SIR Classification System to Complications by Outcome (Grade A-F).
Results: Overall, 237 interventions were conducted without any complications (89.1%). Minor complications not requiring additional treatment occurred during or after 25 procedures (9.4%), including recurring dry cough in four patients during a total of 11 interventions (4.1%) (Grade A), three focal dissections of the targeted pulmonary artery (1.1%), four cases of pulmonary haemorrhage (1.5%), one case of reperfusion oedema (0.4%) and six cases of post-interventional short-term hemoptysis (2.3%) (Grade B). Four cases of major complications requiring additional treatment were observed (1.5%): one case of pulmonary haemorrhage (0.4%) and two cases of post-interventional haemoptysis (0.8%), all resolved after medical therapy without requiring further intervention, and one case of atrial tachycardia induced during catheterisation, subsequently requiring pharmacological cardioversion (0.4%) (Grade C). No fatal or life-threatening peri- or post-interventional complications or mortality were observed (Grade D-F).
Conclusion: BPA performed under CACT guidance appears to be a safe procedure with a low risk of severe complications.
Key points: • CACT guidance of BPA is safe and successful. • CACT-guided BPA procedures have a low complication profile. • CACT guidance is a valuable tool to navigate BPA.
Keywords: Angioplasty; Cone beam computed tomography; Pulmonary hypertension.