Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty as an Alternative Treatment for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

A recent paper highlighted the role of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) as an emerging alternative treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEP). CTEP, a complication of pulmonary embolism, leads to the transformation of thrombi into fibrous tissue in the pulmonary arteries. While pulmonary arteryctomy is the established curative therapy for CTEP, BPA offers promising outcomes for patients with inoperable disease or residual pulmonary hypertension. BPA has shown improvements in hemodynamics, exercise capacity, and symptoms, making it a valuable option when surgery is not feasible.