This offers a life-saving cure. The procedure, called a pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy, uses special instruments to clean out the interior of the pulmonary arteries. Dr. Espada says in most people, clots in the lungs do not present a problem, because the body dissolves them. Unfortunately, some people are missing the properties in blood that eliminate the clots. For others, however, the clots become rubbery masses and can obstruct the blood flow.
Patients usually arrive at the hospital with an enlarged, failing heart and difficulty breathing.
He said the condition often goes undetected because it is difficult to diagnose without the specialized test. A history of miscarriages, inflammation of veins in the leg and shortness of breath are possible indicators of the condition. During the surgery, the patient is placed on a heart-lung machine and the body temperature is dropped to stop circulation. The pulmonary artery is opened and cleaned out with special instruments that peel out the clots. After the surgery, patient recovery is usually quick.