scholarly journals Selective Segmental Pulmonary Angiography: Anatomical, Technical and Safety Aspects of a Must-Learn Technique in Times of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3358
Author(s):  
Maite Velázquez ◽  
Nicolás Maneiro ◽  
Ana Lareo ◽  
Agustín Albarrán ◽  
Sergio Huertas ◽  
...  

With the advent of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for non-surgical chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients, there is renewed interest in the pulmonary angiography technique. This technique is still the standard imaging modality to confirm CTEPH, which, in addition, helps to determine the most appropriate treatment. Furthermore, learning this technique fulfills two main purposes: to identify BPA candidates and to provide the operator with the catheter handling needed to perform BPA. Operators interested in performing BPA must learn not only the pulmonary arteries’ anatomy, but also which are the best angiographic projections and the most suitable catheters to canalize and display each segmental branch. Unfortunately, this information is scarce in the literature. With this goal, learning the diagnostic pulmonary angiography technique can be a first step on the way to perform BPA. Although there are descriptions on how to perform a pulmonary angiography with balloon-tipped catheters and the digital subtraction technique, this technique does not provide operators with the catheter knowledge and manual skill needed to cannulate each segmental branch. In contrast, learning the conventional selective segmental pulmonary angiography (SSPA) technique provides the operator with this knowledge and skills. In this review, based on the experience of the authors, we describe the pulmonary arteries’ anatomy and detail the practical aspects of the SSPA procedure, with the aim of providing operators with the anatomical and technical knowledge needed to perform BPA. We also summarize the contemporary complications of SSPA in CTEPH patients at a reference center.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobutaka Ikeda ◽  
Masaru Hatano ◽  
Takeshi Nagamatsu ◽  
Masato Nakamura

AbstractBackgroundTo date, the management of pregnancy in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and the associated risk of maternal mortality have not been established. Although balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in patients with CTEPH is still an emerging procedure, this approach represents a promising alternative to pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), especially in patients with inoperable CTEPH.Case summaryWe present a case of a 34-year-old woman with CTEPH who desired to have a child. Right heart catheterization showed a mean pulmonary artery pressure of 54 mmHg. Since the lesions were observed in the distal part of subsegmental pulmonary arteries, there was no indication for PEA. After improvement in her haemodynamic status by BPA, she became pregnant. At 40 weeks of gestation, a normal baby was delivered vaginally. Both mother and baby have made satisfactory progress.DiscussionIn cases in which the haemodynamic status is improved by effective BPA, pregnancy and childbirth may be possible, even in patients with CTEPH.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. e28-e32
Author(s):  
Ryan Logue ◽  
Zeenat Safdar

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a common long-term complication of pulmonary embolism characterized by thromboembolic obstruction of the pulmonary arteries, vascular arteriopathy, vascular remodeling, and ultimately pulmonary hypertension (PH). Although pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery is the standard of care, approximately 40% of patients in the international CTEPH registry were deemed inoperable. In addition to lifelong anticoagulation, the cornerstone of PH-specific medical management is riociguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator. Medical management should be started early in CTEPH patients and may be used as a bridge to PEA surgery or balloon pulmonary angiography. Medical management is indicated for inoperable CTEPH patients and patients who have recurrence of PH after PEA surgery.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 320-330
Author(s):  
Wen Ruan ◽  
Jonathan JL Yap ◽  
Kevin KH Quah ◽  
Foong Koon Cheah ◽  
Ghee Chee Phuah ◽  
...  

Introduction: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a known sequela after acute pulmonary embolism (PE). It is a debilitating disease, and potentially fatal if left untreated. This review provides a clinically relevant overview of the disease and discusses the usefulness and limitations of the various investigational and treatment options. Methods: A PubMed search on articles relevant to pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary endarterectomy, and balloon pulmonary angioplasty were performed. A total of 68 articles were found to be relevant and were reviewed. Results: CTEPH occurs as a result of non-resolution of thrombotic material, with subsequent fibrosis and scarring of the pulmonary arteries. Risk factors have been identified, but the underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated. The cardinal symptom of CTEPH is dyspnoea on exertion, but the diagnosis is often challenging due to lack of awareness. The ventilation/perfusion scan is recommended for screening for CTEPH, with other modalities (eg. dual energy computed tomography pulmonary angiography) also being utilised in expert centres. Conventional pulmonary angiography with right heart catherisation is important in the final diagnosis of CTEPH. Conclusion: Operability assessment by a multidisciplinary team is crucial for the management of CTEPH, as pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) remains the guideline recommended treatment and has the best chance of cure. For inoperable patients or those with residual disease post-PEA, medical therapy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty are potential treatment options. Keywords: Balloon pulmonary angioplasty, Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, Pulmonary embolism, Pulmonary endarterectomy, Pulmonary hypertension


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-58
Author(s):  
Sergey Y. Yarovoy ◽  
Irina E. Chazova ◽  
Yuri G. Matchin ◽  
Nikolay M. Danilov

Aim.To study the effect of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) on the changes of pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output and structural parameters of pulmonary arteries after acute vasoreactivity testing (AVT) in inoperable patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Materials and methods.The prospective study included 22 patients with inoperable CTEPH. 11 patients underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) of the pulmonary arteries. The assessment of clinical and hemodynamic parameters, vasoreactivity, structural parameters of the pulmonary arteries according to IVUS data was performed at 2 visits before the first BPA and after a series of BPA. Results.The patients underwent 2.31.4 stages of BPA. The follow up was 160 (85; 248) days. Positive changes after a series of BPA were revealed in clinical (functional class, distance in the 6-minute walk test, level of brain natriuretic peptide) and hemodynamic (systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressure, right atrium pressure, etc.) parameters. The results of the AVT after BPA demonstrated a decrease in the portion of non-responders from 63.6 to 55.5%, and a group of responders (16.7%) has appeared. According to IVUS before and after AVT, the response to iloprost administration was observed basically in branches of subsegmental pulmonary arteries and initially corresponded to the process of vasodilation. However, after a series of BPA there was noted a paradoxical reaction in the middle section after the AVT a decrease in the vessel lumen and an increase in the thickness and area of the vessel wall. This effect is probably associated with the response to the test at the level of the microvasculature, as in pulmonary arterial hypertension before the onset of its pronounced structural changes. The data obtained confirm the reverse remodeling of the pulmonary vessels and the restoration of vasoreactivity after a series of BPA. Conclusion.BPA improves clinical and hemodynamic parameters, as well as pulmonary vasoreactivity, in inoperable patients with CTEPH. AVT may be included in the recommendations for the examination of patients with CTEPH to assess the effectiveness of BPA and determine the disease prognosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1655
Author(s):  
Wojciech Magoń ◽  
Jakub Stępniewski ◽  
Marcin Waligóra ◽  
Kamil Jonas ◽  
Roman Przybylski ◽  
...  

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from an obstruction of pulmonary arteries (PAs) by organized thrombi. The stenosed PAs are targeted during balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA). We aimed to evaluate the mechanism of BPA in inoperable patients with CTEPH. We analyzed stenosed PAs with intravascular grey-scale ultrasound (IVUS) to determine the cross-sectional area (CSA) of arterial lumen and of organized thrombi. The composition of organized thrombi was assessed using virtual histology. We distinguished two mechanisms of BPA: Type A with dominant vessel stretching, and type B with dominant thrombus compression. PAs were assessed before (n = 159) and after (n = 98) BPA in 20 consecutive patients. Organized thrombi were composed of dark-green (57.1 (48.0–64.0)%), light-green (34.0 (21.4–46.4)%), red (6.4 (2.9–11.7)%;) and white (0.2 (0.0–0.9)%) components. The mechanism type depended on vessel diameter (OR = 1.09(1.01–1.17); p = 0.03). In type B mechanism, decrease in the amount of light-green component positively correlated with an increase in lumen area after BPA (r = 0.50; p = 0.001). The mechanism of BPA depends on the diameter of the vessel. Dilation of more proximal PAs depends mainly on stretching of the vessel wall while dilation of smaller PAs depends on compression of the organized thrombi. The composition of the organized thrombi contributes to the effect of BPA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Jin ◽  
Qin Luo ◽  
Tao Yang ◽  
Qixian Zeng ◽  
Xue Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) has been demonstrated to improve cardiac function and exercise capacity in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), but its instant impact on cardiopulmonary function has seldom been evaluated. This study aims to determine the safety and efficacy of BPA and its immediate and lasting effects on cardiopulmonary function among CTEPH patients. Methods From May 2018 to January 2019, patients with inoperable CTEPH who underwent BPA sessions were consecutively enrolled. Hemodynamics were measured by right heart catheterization, selective pulmonary angiography and BPA were successively conducted. Hemodynamic variables, WHO functional class (WHO-FC), 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and serum NT-proBNP were evaluated before and after BPA sessions during hospitalization. Pulmonary function testing (PFT) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were performed within 1–3 days pre and post BPA to evaluate the effect of BPA on cardiopulmonary function. Results Twenty-five patients with inoperable CTEPH who underwent a total of forty BPA sessions were consecutively enrolled. A total of 183 segmental or subsegmental vessels (4.6 ± 1.9 vessels per session) in 137 segments (3.4 ± 1.6 segments per session) were dilated. No procedure-related complications occurred. Instant hemodynamics, WHO-FC, 6MWD and NT-proBNP were all significantly improved after a single BPA session. Significant improvement in cardiopulmonary function was also evident as assessed by PFT indexes (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in the first second, maximal voluntary ventilation) and CPET parameters (peak work rate, peak VO2, oxygen uptake efficiency slope). Further analysis among ten CTEPH patients receiving multiple BPA sessions (2–4 sessions) indicated BPA resulted in lasting improvements in hemodynamics and cardiopulmonary function. Conclusions BPA, a safe and effective approach, can bring instant improvements after a single session and lasting benefits after multiple sessions to hemodynamics and cardiopulmonary function for patients with inoperable CTEPH.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Shimokawahara ◽  
H Matsubara ◽  
K Hayashi ◽  
M Tsuji ◽  
T Nishihara ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) improves hemodynamics, symptoms and exercise capacity in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) who are ineligible for pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). However, certain patients still have hypoxemia after BPA or PEA despite normalization of hemodynamics. In CTEPH, hypoxemia is related increased dead space ventilation caused by vascular obstruction. Purpose This study was aimed to clarify whether additional BPA can improve hypoxemia of CTEPH patients after normalization of hemodynamics. Methods A total of 335 patients who underwent initial series of BPA in our institute were followed up. Sixty-four patients with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) <30mmHg and percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) <95% without oxygen inhalation at more than 6 months after the initial series of BPA and of patients who could reevaluate hemodynamics and oxygenation after additional BPA were enrolled. These patients were divided into two groups with or without additional BPA procedures. Change of hemodynamics and SpO2 were retrospectively investigated. Results Thirty-three of 64 patients underwent additional BPA procedures. Patients' age was older in BPA group than those in non-BPA group (71.3±10.4 vs. 66.5±9.4 years old, p=0.02). mPAP and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was significantly higher in BPA group (mPAP: 23.9±3.2 vs. 20.7±3.8 mmHg, p=0.001, PVR: 4.2±1.2 vs. 3.5±1.4 wood unit, p=0.03, respectively). Among the 1.8±1.4 BPA procedures per person, total 6.6±3.8 segmental pulmonary arteries per person were treated. While no obvious improvements were observed in non-BPA group, PVR and SpO2 in BPA group were significantly improved (4.2±1.2 to 3.7±1.3 wood unit, p=0.002, 90.7±3.1% to 94.1±3.6%, p<0.001, respectively). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, additional BPA procedures were associated with further improvement of SpO2 (hazard ratio, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–11.5; P=0.02). Conclusions Additional BPA procedure was associated with improvement of hypoxemia in CTEPH patients after normalization of hemodynamics. Treating as many lesions as possible in BPA might relieve the patients' residual dyspnea.


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