title: Pulmonary endarterectomy for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: Pulmonary endarterectomy is a curative treatment option for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that not only patients with CTEPH but also patients with pulmonary arterial obstructions and mean pulmonary artery pressures < 25 mmHg should be offered surgery. In this review, the recent literature regarding pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, decision making by an expert CTEPH team, and surgical techniques will be summarized. Novel alternative treatment options for inoperable CTEPH patients will be discussed, i.e. targeted medical therapy and balloon pulmonary angioplasty. For the future the major task will be to define a clear selection process for the optimal treatment of the individual CTEPH patient.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Kerckhoff Heart and Lung Center , Bad Nauheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guth
authors.affiliation: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Kerckhoff Heart and Lung Center , Bad Nauheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Wiedenroth
authors.affiliation: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Kerckhoff Heart and Lung Center , Bad Nauheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kramm
authors.affiliation: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Kerckhoff Heart and Lung Center , Bad Nauheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mayer
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004691:Endarterectomy; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: BPA; CTEPH; PEA; Pulmonary endarterectomy; balloon pulmonary angioplasty; chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary embolism; pulmonary hypertension