Blood clots in the lungs can prevent proper blood flow, which causes an increase in pressure in the affected blood vessels. This can lead to experiencing shortness of breath, chest pains, and have a significant impact on a person’s life. Called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, this condition is often treated with open surgery to remove the clots. However, some patients are simply not good candidates for surgery, either because they have health problems that prevent them from safely having surgery or the clots is in a location that is inaccessible during surgery.
In the spirit of finding new and minimally invasive procedures as an alternative to surgery, a team of scientists may have found a solution. According to a new study conducted by researchers at the Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, a new treatment option, called balloon pulmonary angioplasty could be an effective way to treat people with thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension that are not suitable candidates for surgery. The study is published in a recent article published in JACC: Advances.
One of the largest studies of this new angioplasty procedure, the study was conducted at the Temple Heart & Vascular Institutes’ Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure, and CTEPH program. The procedure involve insert a catheter over a wire into a vein near the groin and guide it up to the lung. There, clinicians pinpoint the clot using real-time X-ray imaging. A balloon in the vein is then inflated in an attempt to open up the vein. The procedure is usually done over a few different procedures.
Overall, researchers found that following the procedure, patients experienced the following:
- Improved exercise capacity
- Fewer symptoms
- Taking fewer, or no, medications for managing their condition
Though balloon pulmonary angioplasty has been round from roughly twenty years, it was not widely adopted immediately due to a high major complication rate. This includes a risk of bleeding. Over the years, the procedure has been tweaked and refined, improving its overall safety and efficacy. The study published in JACC: Advances reinforces the procedures safety and efficacy for people who are unable to undergo surgery.
Sources: EurekAlert!; JACC: Advances