Abstract

Chronic thromboembolic occlusion of the left pulmonary artery in a 36 year old woman is described, and similar cases reported in the past 15 years are discussed. On review, this disease remains a rare entity. In the majority of cases, the etiology is thrombophlebitis and acute pulmonary embolism. Associated cardiopulmonary disease is uncommon. The most common presenting symptom is unexplained dyspnea, and the majority of patients have past histories of hemoptysis. Acute cardiovascular collapse is distinctly rare. Most physical signs and laboratory tests are normal or nonspecific. The perfusion lung scan, although nonspecific, is the best screening test. Antemortem diagnosis, with rare exception, is established by pulmonary angiography. Eleven patients have been operated on: thromboembolectomy in nine, saphenous vein graft in one and pneumonectomy in one. Operative mortality was 36 per cent (four of 11), definite improvement was seen in 46 per cent (five of 11), and 18 per cent (two of 11) survived the operation with no improvement. The role of medical therapy in this disease is considered.

View details for Web of Science ID A1976BN07300014

View details for PubMedID 1274991