ATLANTA – Patients who are diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) can now receive comprehensive care for their condition through Georgia’s first and only program located at Emory Healthcare.
CTEPH is a unique type of pulmonary hypertension that can be life-threatening if not treated properly. The condition occurs when blood clots accumulate in the pulmonary arteries, causing high blood pressure in the lungs which can lead to right heart enlargement and even right-sided heart failure. According to the American Lung Association, there are 3,000 new cases of CTEPH diagnosed each year in the U.S.
Paul Forfia, MD, a professor of medicine, directs the Emory Healthcare Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure and CTEPH Program. Forfia works closely with Victor Pretorius, MD, a professor of surgery, who is also the surgical director of the heart transplant and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (or PTE) programs at Emory. Together, Forfia and Pretorius bring experience from more than 2,000 PTE surgeries and over 1,000 balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) procedures, delivering outstanding outcomes at Emory University Hospital. They have joined forces with a talented and committed group of clinicians already dedicated to CTEPH care at Emory.
“We are very proud to bring this type of comprehensive treatment to patients who have been diagnosed with CTEPH in Georgia and the Southeast region,” says Forfia. “We believe superior outcomes are driven by multidisciplinary collaboration among highly specialized and experienced clinicians. Our approach to treatment reflects that commitment.”
An accurate diagnosis of CTEPH is vital because it is the only form of pulmonary hypertension in which a single treatment (surgery) may lead to a cure. Patients at Emory are seen by a specialized team of cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, interventional cardiologists and pulmonologists.
“Our team of experts are dedicated to finding the best treatment options for our patients so they can breathe easier and have a better quality of life,” says Dr. Victor Pretorius, MD Surgical Director of the Heart Transplant and Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE) Programs.
