Treatment of Vascular Injury During Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

BACKGROUND: Treatment strategy for vascular injury during balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) was uncertain. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify an optimal therapeutic strategy for vascular injury during BPA in patients with CTEPH. METHODS: This study reviewed 207 patients with CTEPH and 956 BPA procedures between November 1, 2012 and November 30, 2015. Patients who were diagnosed with vascular injury during BPA, which was defined as angiographic signs or sudden respiratory and hemodynamic defects were included in this study. The study investigated the safety and efficacy of the hierarchically systematic treatment strategy including gelatin sponge embolization (GSE). RESULTS: More than one-half of the 79 patients and 133 procedures with vascular injury were improved by general treatment with reversal of heparin and high-flow oxygen administration. The investigators performed conventional treatment of proximal vessel occlusion using a guiding or balloon catheter in 47 procedures (35%) in which the culprit vessels could be detected under patients’ stable conditions. In 32 procedures (24%) without detected culprit lesions or improvement by conventional treatment, GSE could significantly improve patient condition. The treatment strategy obtained successful bailout in 98% of procedures with vascular injury. No patients who underwent GSE died within 30 days after the treatment. There was no significant difference in cumulative mortality rate (median follow-up: 6.6 years) between groups with or without GSE (15.6% vs 8.2%; adjusted HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 0.25-8.69; P = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment strategy including GSE would be promising for vascular injury during BPA in patients with CTEPH.