Preoperative balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension led to successful anesthetic management for total hysterectomy under general anesthesia: a case report

BACKGROUND: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a disease of obstructive pulmonary artery remodeling as a consequence of major vessel thromboembolism. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is an alternative treatment for patients with inoperable CTEPH. We report a case of CTEPH which improved following preoperative BPA intervention, allowing total hysterectomy to be performed. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital to undergo total hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. She developed pulmonary embolism 7 months ago at another hospital, and a diagnosis of CTEPH was made based on multiple pulmonary emboli and pulmonary hypertension at our institute. Two BPA sessions for seven branches of the bilateral pulmonary arteries were conducted, resulting in a decrease of mean pulmonary artery pressure from 54 to 33 mmHg. Total hysterectomy was successfully performed under general anesthesia without any complications. CONCLUSIONS: BPA could be effective for reducing PH in patients with CTEPH undergoing noncardiac surgery.