Hybrid approach for treating patient with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and extrinsic compression of left main coronary artery

Abstract

Background ― Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare life-threatening form of pulmonary artery hypertension. CTEPH is potentially curable by performing surgical operation – pulmonary thrombendarteriectomy. Unfortunately, about 36% of patients with CTEPH are considered as inoperable because of different conditions including left main coronary artery compression syndrome (LMCS), caused by compression with delated pulmonary artery. Appropriate management of patients with CTEPH and LMCS remains unknown. Case report ― We report for the first time a case of a successful hybrid treatment of patient with CTEPH and LMCS. Due to high pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and LMCS (90% stenosis) the risk for pulmonary thrombendarteriectomy for patient was considered as high. The multidisciplinary team decided to start treatment with new method of treatment for patients with CTEPH – balloon pulmonary angioplasty. In 5 months 4 sessions of balloon pulmonary angioplasty were successfully performed. In a follow-up mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 57 to 37 mm Hg, PVR decreased from 20 to 7 WU. Coronary angiography showed no compression of left main coronary artery. The diameter of pulmonary artery decreased from 4.2 to 3.6 cm. Patient was reconsidered as operable and transferred to a surgical unit for pulmonary thrombendarteriectomy. Conclusion ― Effective balloon pulmonary angioplasty can lead to regression of left main compression syndrome in CTEPH patients. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty can be a “bridge-treatment” to pulmonary thrombendarteriectomy in patients with high operation risk.