Two cases of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism saved by postoperative use of a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support device

Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Jul;82(1):314-6. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2005.08.058.

Abstract

We performed pulmonary thromboendarterectomy under deep hypothermic intermittent circulatory arrest in 18 patients with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism from August 2001 to January 2004. In some of these cases, reperfusion pulmonary edema prevented a satisfactory improvement in hemodynamic data soon after the surgery. Here we report two cases of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism in which we successfully prevented postoperative persistent pulmonary hypertension and hypoxia caused by severe reperfusion pulmonary edema by the use of a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support device.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Antithrombin III Deficiency / complications
  • Cardiomegaly / complications
  • Catecholamines / therapeutic use
  • Chronic Disease
  • Circulatory Arrest, Deep Hypothermia Induced
  • Endarterectomy / methods*
  • Epoprostenol / therapeutic use
  • Equipment Design
  • Extracorporeal Circulation
  • Female
  • Heparin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / prevention & control
  • Hypoxia / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Oxygenators, Membrane*
  • Postoperative Complications / prevention & control
  • Protein C Deficiency / complications
  • Pulmonary Edema / prevention & control
  • Pulmonary Embolism / etiology
  • Pulmonary Embolism / surgery*
  • Reperfusion Injury / prevention & control
  • Thrombophilia / genetics
  • Thrombophlebitis / etiology
  • Thrombophlebitis / therapy
  • Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / complications
  • Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / surgery
  • Vena Cava Filters

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Catecholamines
  • Heparin
  • Epoprostenol