Our approach
The pulmonary hypertension program at the University of Minnesota has been accredited by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) as a center of excellence and boasts a wide range of therapies for all pulmonary hypertension conditions. For chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), the University of Minnesota offers a complete array of therapies from medical therapy to minimally invasive transcatheter therapies such as BPA to surgical thromboendarterectomies. Our initial approach begins with a meeting with one of our pulmonary hypertension cardiologists in our PHA accredited pulmonary hypertension clinic at which time a comprehensive diagnostic investigation is performed to determine the presence and / or cause of pulmonary hypertension. Once CTEPH has been diagnosed, a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure (right heart catheterization and pulmonary angiography) is performed to define the severity of the disease and optimal treatment options. All treatment begins with initiation of medical therapy and a multidisciplinary pulmonary hypertension team approach that determines whether a surgery or BPA is an option. If surgery is not an option or if there is residual disease after surgery, BPA can be performed to further treat the disease and improve symptoms.