Endovascular Management of CTEPH with Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (BPA)

In this episode, interventional radiologist Dr. Reha Butros, interventional cardiologist Dr. Behnam Tehrani, and our host Dr. Michael Barraza discuss chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and medical, endovascular, and surgical treatment options for CTEPH.

CTEPH affects patients of all different ages and medical histories. While it has been associated with prior pulmonary embolism, it can also arise in patients due to blood clotting disorders and infected pacemakers. Both Dr. Butros and Dr. Tehrani stress the importance of collaborating with pulmonary hypertension experts to identify CTEPH patients before right sided heart failure occurs. CTEPH is diagnosed with dual energy CT, which shows perfusion, and right heart catheterization, which measures blood pressure.

The three treatment options discussed are medical management, balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE). Medical management is discussed as an initial treatment for CTEPH, while PTE can be appropriate for good surgical candidates. Finally, Dr. Butros and Dr. Tehrani present BPA as an appropriate treatment for patients of all ages. BPA over multiple sessions and increasing balloon size has been shown to be effective at promoting pulmonary artery remodeling and dilation. The doctors share their own experiences with learning BPA technique, noting that it has a learning curve, but it is ultimately rewarding when patients’ quality of life is improved.