Surgical results of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary endarterectomy in our recently developed program

In this case series, we aimed to present our diagnostic workup, surgical management, and results of the patients who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy.

In this case series, a total of 26 patients (8 males, 18 females; median age: 58 years; range, 34 to 67 years) who were evaluated by a multidisciplinary team and were diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy in our clinic between November 2015 and December 2019 were included. Pulmonary endarterectomy procedure was performed in all cases under cardiopulmonary bypass and total circulatory arrest. The results of the procedures were analyzed retrospectively.

Perioperative complications were observed in seven patients (26.9%) and in-hospital mortality rate caused by perioperative complications was 15.38%. At one-year of postoperative follow-up, the mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 78±22 mmHg to 41±20 mmHg, pulmonary vascular resistance decreased from 698±10 dyn·s·cm-5 to 235±10 dyn·s·cm-5, 6-min walk distance increased from 345±10 m to 460±10 m and, arterial oxygen saturation increased from 85±3.5% to 95±4%. New York Heart Association functional class improvement from Class III-IV to Class I-II was observed in most patients, and one-year mortality rate was 19.23%.

We suggest that patients diagnosed chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension should be referred to cardiac surgery centers for pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, early before irreversible arteriopathy occurs.