Heart-lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and giant pulmonary artery aneurysm - Case report

Abstract

Backgound: Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a rare condition that requires lung transplantation in patients' refractory to medical therapy. Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) is a documented complication of IPAH however, optimal management and timing of intervention for this rare entity is not well understood. Case report: We report a case of a 51-year-old female who underwent heart-lung transplantation for IPAH and giant PAA. The extreme size of the PAA and underlying pathology encountered in this case precluded both lung transplantation and conventional aneurysm repair. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that heart-lung transplantation is a good surgical option for IPAH complicated by giant sized PAA and right heart failure.