Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (Percutaneous Transluminal Pulmonary Angioplasty) for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Japanese Perspective

In recent years, therapeutic options for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have expanded with the development of catheter-based interventional therapy, namely balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), also called percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty. For CTEPH patients with technically inoperable disease or with an unfavorable risk-to-benefit ratio for surgical pulmonary endarterectomy, BPA is an important alternative therapeutic strategy. One important treatment goal of BPA should be the relief of pulmonary hypertension. However, the indications for BPA in specialized Japanese centers currently go beyond the sole indication of relieving pulmonary hypertension. BPA is currently limited to specific institutes and experienced operators, which allows better management of its associated complications of reperfusion pulmonary edema and vascular injury using various strategies based on past experiences. This article discusses the latest indications and treatment goals of BPA and the current flow diagram for therapeutic decision-making in CTEPH, and summarizes the factors to be considered when performing BPA, from a Japanese perspective.