[CT angiography as the diagnostic and decision making method used for surgical indication in pulmonary hypertension due to chronic thromboembolism. Report of one case].
Pulmonary hypertension due to chronic pulmonary thromboembolism is frequently underdiagnosed and has a very poor prognosis if untreated. When the presence of central pulmonary artery thrombus is confirmed, thromboendarterectomy is the treatment of choice, with very good results. We report a 28 years old male with two previous episodes of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) who was admitted due to 8 months of progressive shortness of breath and a syncope. He underwent a CT pulmonary angiogram and an echocardiogram. Severe pulmonary hypertension was confirmed, secondary to a chronic pulmonary thromboembolism with an overlapped acute component. He received systemic thrombolysis with partial thrombus disappearance. Therefore a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy was performed and an inferior vena cava filter was placed. The patient was discharged with marked improvement in his functional capacity.
Claro
Juan Carlos
JC
Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago.
Baudrand
René
R
Baeza
Cristián
C
Letelier
Luz María
LM
D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004691:Endarterectomy; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*