Left atrial unloading with an 8 mm septal cutting balloon to treat postcapillary pulmonary hypertension: a case
Fabrice Bauer1,2, Emmanuel Besnier2,3, Chadi Aludaat1
1Service de chirurgie cardiaque, Clinique d'insuffisance cardiaque avancée, centre de compétence en hypertension pulmonaire 27/76, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Charles Nicolle, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen, F76000, France.
Abstract:
We report the case of a 58-year-old female with severe postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (averaged mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 49 mmHg, pulmonary arterial wedge pressure 29 mmHg, and right atrial pressure 8 mmHg) due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. A left-to-right atrial shunt was created using an 8 mm cutting balloon, under transesophageal echocardiography guidance. Both pulmonary arterial and wedge pressure dramatically decreased after the procedure. Symptoms immediately improved and benefits were sustained at 6 months of follow-up. This case suggests that iatrogenic septal defect using a cutting balloon could be an option to treat symptomatic postcapillary pulmonary hypertension.
