Predictors of Outcomes after Surgery for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract Background Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is technically demanding. We tried to identify the predictors for short- and long-term outcomes after PEA for CTEPH with aggressive use of pulmonary vasodilators, including epoprostenol sodium. Methods From 2005 to 2013, 122 CTEPH patients, whose preoperative mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was 47 ± 10 mm Hg and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 847 ± 373 dynes/sec/cm 5 underwent PEA with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Before PEA, all patients underwent pulmonary vasodilator therapy, including epoprostenol sodium of 2 to 6 ng/kg/min. We collected the perioperative and follow-up data retrospectively to identify the predictors for early and late outcomes after PEA. Results In-hospital mortality was 7.4% (n=9). Predictors for in-hospital death were age >65 years and NYHA Class IV. Among the 113 PEA survivors, the mPAP and PVR significantly decreased. After the median follow-up of 6.8 years, the overall survival rates were 91.8 %, 89.2 %, 89.2 %, 89.2 %, and 86.1 %, and the cardiac events-free rates were 100%, 98.1%, 95.8%, 85.5%, and 49.0%, at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 years, respectively, in the Kaplan-Meier model. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model identified postoperative mPAP > 30 mm Hg as the only predictor for late cardiac events. Conclusions Early and late outcomes of PEA for CTEPH with perioperative aggressive pulmonary vasodilator treatment seem satisfactory. However, residual pulmonary hypertension remains challenging to achieve further improvement of late outcomes.