• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.644-650
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• 2005

Background : Bilateral pulmonary thromboendarterectomy(PTE) is recognized as the definitive treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We investigated the symptomatic, hemodynamic and prognostic effects of PTE in comparison with medical treatment. Methods : Twenty-four patients diagnosed with CTEPH from 1995 to 2003 at the Asan Medical Center were divided into two groups: patients treated with PTE(PTE group, n=12) and those not treated with PTE(Med group, n=12). The serial changes in dyspnea, the tricuspid regurgitation maximal velocity (TRVmax) and survival of the PTE and Med groups were compared retrospectively. Results : In PTE group, during a follow-up period of 1 year, the New York Heart Association(NYHA) functional class significantly improved, while there was no significant improvement in the Med group. PTE significantly lowered the TRVmax from $4.23{\pm}0.54m/sec$ to $3.22{\pm}0.70m/sec$ over a follow up period of 2 years. (p=0.028) However, the TRVmax in the medically treated group did not show any significant improvement, changing from $3.98{\pm}0.68m/sec$ to $4.27{\pm}0.95m/sec$ during 1 year. The 5-year survival of the PTE group was 77.9% compared with 64.3% in the medically treated group. Conclusion : PTE provides substantial long-term improvement in dyspnea and the echocardiographic changes compared with medically treated patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1555-1568
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• 2021

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal disease if the diagnosis or treatment is delayed. Currently, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is considered the standard imaging method for diagnosing PE. Dual-energy CT (DECT) has the advantages of MDCT and can provide functional information for patients with PE. The aim of this review is to present the potential clinical applications of DECT in PE, focusing on the diagnosis and risk stratification of PE.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.684-687
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• 2002

Besides lung transplantation, pulmonary thromboembolectomy is the only effective therapeutic option for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. It is however associated with a considerably high hospital mortality between 6.6 to 23%. Proper patient selection is critical when considering a patient for pulmonary thromboembolectomy. And It cannot be overemphasised that the key to the success of the operation is complete endarterectomy of the entire pulmonary arterial tree. We report that pulmonary thromboendarterectomy under total circulatory arrest was an effective and safe method in the surgical correction of the chronic thrornboernbolic pulmonary hypertension and enabled complete removal of superimposed peripheral organized thrombi in a good operative field.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.867-870
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• 2007

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined as venous and/or arterial thromboses, recurrent fetal losses, thrombocytopenia in combination with repeatedly positive tests for the lupus anticoagulant (LAC), and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). The pulmonary manifestation is APS are relatively rare. We report a rare case of antiphopholipid syndrome with systemic lupus erythematosus in a patient who presented with pulmonary hypertension secondary to a chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. A bilateral thromboendarterectomy was performed satisfactorily and the incision was extended to the left intrapleural pulmonary artery.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 2017

Pulmonary artery sarcoma (PAS) is a rare and fatal disease that often mimics chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH); therefore, diagnosis of PAS is often delayed. Herein, a healthy 74-year-old man was presented with a 4-month history of dyspnea. Chest computed tomography showed wall thickening and stenosis in the main pulmonary artery as well as in both proximal pulmonary arteries. In order to differentiate between unusual CTEPH, vasculitis, and PAS, we performed right heart catheterization and pulmonary angiography. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 21 mmHg, and there was severe pulmonary artery stenosis. Thrombi on the pulmonary arterial wall lesions were observed in intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography. Furthermore, the patient had a history of deep vein thrombosis. Therefore, we diagnosed unusual CTEPH. After 6 months of rivaroxaban anticoagulation therapy, a chest X-ray revealed a left lower lobe lung mass, and a positron emission tomography later showed hypermetabolic lesions in the main pulmonary artery wall, in both pulmonary arteries walls, in the lung parenchyma, and in the bones. A biopsy of the right proximal humerus lesion revealed undifferentiated intimal sarcoma. Pulmonary sarcoma is rare, but should be considered when differentially diagnosing main pulmonary artery wall thickening and stenosis. A positron emission tomography may aid in this diagnosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.677-682
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• 2004

Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects large vessels, such as the aorta and its main branches. Pulmonary artery is often involved in Takayasu's arteritis, but only a few cases have been reported in which pulmonary artery involvement occurred as the initial clinical manifestation. We report one patient who was referred to our institution with the provisional diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and subsequently diagnosed with Takayasu's arteritis involving the pulmonary artery.