Siriraj Hospital Launches Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty Program to Treat Inoperable Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension

Bangkok — Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, has officially launched its Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (BPA) program for patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH), offering a new treatment option for individuals who are not suitable candidates for surgery.

The announcement was made during a press conference chaired by Prof. Apichat Asavamongkolkul, M.D., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, alongside Assoc.Prof.Suree Sompradeekul, Division of Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis, Assist.ProfNarathip Chunhamaneewat, Pariya Panchavinnin MD., and the multidisciplinary medical team at Siriraj Hospital.

A Serious but Treatable Condition

CTEPH is a rare and potentially life-threatening form of pulmonary hypertension caused by persistent blood clots that remain in the pulmonary arteries following an acute pulmonary embolism. The chronic obstruction increases pressure within the pulmonary circulation, gradually leading to progressive shortness of breath, right-sided heart failure, and, if untreated, premature death.

For patients with clots located in the main pulmonary arteries, pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) remains the standard surgical treatment. However, patients with blockages in smaller, more distal pulmonary arteries are often considered inoperable, creating the need for alternative therapies.

According to Siriraj Hospital, untreated patients with inoperable CTEPH have an estimated three-year survival rate of approximately 71%. Clinical advances in Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (BPA) over the past two decades have significantly improved outcomes, increasing the three-year survival rate to approximately 92% in appropriately selected patients.

Building Expertise Through International Collaboration

Professor Apichat Asavamongkolkul said Siriraj recognized the urgent need to improve treatment options for patients with inoperable CTEPH and therefore invested in developing specialist expertise while establishing collaborations with internationally recognized experts.

"Siriraj has successfully introduced Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty as a treatment for CTEPH since 2024 under the leadership of Associate Professor Suree Sompradeekul and our multidisciplinary team," he said.

Associate Professor Suree Sompradeekul explained that in May 2024, the Siriraj multidisciplinary team visited the National Hospital Organization Okayama Medical Center in Japan to receive advanced training under Professor Hiromi Matsubara, one of the pioneers of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty, and Dr. Hirito Shimokawahara.

Following the training, the Japanese specialists traveled to Thailand to provide on-site supervision and hands-on instruction at Siriraj Hospital.

The hospital performed its first BPA procedure on 18 November 2024, and has continued expanding the program since then.

Encouraging Early Clinical Outcomes

To date, Siriraj Hospital has treated more than 23 patients, performing a total of 106 Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty procedures.

According to the medical team, all treated patients have experienced improvements in symptoms, particularly reduced shortness of breath and better ability to perform daily activities following treatment.

Advancing Specialized Cardiopulmonary Care

Siriraj Hospital noted that the successful implementation of the BPA program represents an important milestone in advancing Thailand's capacity to provide highly specialized cardiopulmonary interventions.

The initiative also supports the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital's "Best Health Value" policy, which focuses on delivering patient-centered care while continuously improving clinical outcomes through innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based medicine.

Looking ahead, the hospital plans to further develop advanced BPA techniques alongside ongoing clinical research to improve long-term survival and quality of life for patients living with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Source : Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University