Reorganized subtotal perfusion blockade of a pulmonary artery without hypertension after successfully lysed massive PE – A case report

Abstract

Abstract We present the case of an 18‐year‐old woman with a 5‐day history of thoracic pain and dyspnea following physical exertion, along with swelling of her right calf. Computertomography (CT) angiography confirmed a massive central pulmonary artery embolism (PE) of the left main branch. The patient underwent catheter‐directed thrombolysis. Six months later, CT angiography revealed a postthrombotic subtotal blockage of the left pulmonary artery, resulting in hyperinflation of the right lung and right heart hypertrophy. Right heart catheterization identified a pulmonary artery mean pressure of 9 mmHg, which led to the diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTED). Pulmonary angiography confirmed the complete occlusion of the left pulmonary artery. The patient was referred to an International Reference Center for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). There, she underwent pulmonary thrombendarterectomy of the affected pulmonary artery without complications. One‐year follow‐up has been postponed due to the recent surgery. The prevalence of CTEPH is reported at 8.4%, while CTED is observed in only 4% of survivors of PE cases. Patients experiencing unexplained dyspnea should be evaluated promptly for these conditions, warranting early diagnostic intervention.

Keywords

• pulmonary arterial hypertension
• pulmonary circulation
• revascularization