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Our specialists work together to provide complete, coordinated care — from diagnosis through treatment and recovery.
Telehealth appointments are available.
Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) is a specialized surgery used to treat chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a serious condition caused by longstanding blood clots in the lungs. CTEPH can start after a pulmonary embolism and may continue if medication no longer controls your condition enough.
Treatment depends on what causes your condition and how severe it is. Care may include medication, blood thinners, oxygen, rehab and procedures. For some people with CTEPH, PTE removes chronic clots that block blood flow and can help improve breathing.
When diagnosed early, PTE is an effective CTEPH treatment that can greatly improve symptoms and, in many cases, cure the condition. Not everyone qualifies, so your team will confirm whether the clots sit in a location a surgeon can safely access and whether surgery is the safest option.
At Keck Medicine of USC, our surgeons have a broad range of experience performing complex procedures like PTE. We provide expert, coordinated care that helps you breathe easier, regain strength and return to a better quality of life.
Accurate testing helps confirm a chronic pulmonary hypertension diagnosis and shows what causes your symptoms. Your team uses these results to decide whether PTE is right for you.
Your care team includes surgeons and specialists with deep experience in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and complex heart and lung conditions. They work closely together to evaluate your condition and plan your care.
Before surgery, you’ll meet with a PH specialist and a surgical team that focuses on pulmonary vascular disease. Your specialist will review your history, prior pulmonary embolism care and your current symptoms. They may order blood work to guide safe care planning, heart imaging to map blood flow in the lungs, an echocardiogram to check heart strain, or a right heart catheterization, when needed, to confirm pulmonary pressure.
We perform pulmonary thromboendarterectomy under general anesthesia, so you are asleep and comfortable throughout the procedure.
During surgery, your surgeon makes an incision in the chest to access the heart and lungs. A heart-lung machine supports blood flow and oxygen delivery while the surgeon removes blockages. This allows the surgeon to carefully remove blood clots and scar tissue from the pulmonary arteries.
Once your surgical team removes the blockages, they restore normal circulation, close the incision and closely monitor your recovery.
After surgery, you’ll recover overnight in the intensive care unit (ICU). The next morning, your care team will evaluate your breathing and remove the ventilator once you can breathe on your own.
You may spend around seven to 10 days in the hospital. You start your recovery in the ICU and move to a less intensive level of care as soon as possible, often the day after surgery.
Recovery is similar to recovering from open-heart surgery. You may start walking within a few days and slowly increase your activity. You’ll also have some tests, including one to find out how much oxygen you’ll need after you go home.
After you go home, your strength comes back little by little. A walking plan, follow-up tests and rehab can help you keep moving forward. Your team will also tell you when it’s safe to drive, lift, travel and return to work.
Call 911 if you have chest pain, fainting, severe shortness of breath or stroke symptoms (face droop, arm weakness, speech trouble).
We deliver highly specialized care for complex heart and lung conditions, including pulmonary hypertension.
As an academic medical center, we offer access to advanced technology and innovative treatment options.
Our dedicated nursing staff and care teams provide compassionate support throughout your recovery.
You can count on clear education and next steps, so you know what to expect before surgery and after discharge.
