Objective: To evaluate the perioperative management and safety of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism.
Methods: From March 1999 to March 2004, 12 patients with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism received thromboendarterectomy. The operation was performed under cardio-pulmonary bypass with low flow or circulative arrest and deep hypothermia. The clinical data of the 12 cases were reviewed retrospectively.
Results: Pulmonary pressure immediately decreased 20 to 40 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) after operation in 6 cases. Various degrees of postoperative pulmonary edema happened in 8 cases. One patient died at the 19th day after operation due to severe lung infection and pulmonary re-embolism. Eleven patients were followed-up for 2 months to 5 years, the clinical symptom and routine daily activity were improved after surgery.
Conclusion: Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is an effective treatment for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. It is very important to management of postoperative reperfusion injury and pulmonary edema. A key point to enhance the safety of surgical treatment for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism is preoperative correct evaluation and indication selection.