Assessment of Recovery of Functional Capillary Surface Area in Patients Undergoing a Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension [CTEPH] is caused by pulmonary emboli that have enlarged in pulmonary arteries and have become organized into the vessel wall. Many patients with CTEPH are treated with balloon pulmonary angioplasty [BPA] which mechanically opens the narrow pulmonary arteries. It is unclear how much downstream functional pulmonary capillary surface area [FCSA] is recovered during BPA. We plan to measure FCSAIn CTEPH patients, before and after a session of BPA.

Inclusion Criteria:All patients eligible for balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertensionExclusion Criteria:Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, Presence of patent foramen ovale