Pulmonary endarterectomy for pulmonary hypertension from septic emboli.

Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) can significantly increase long-term survival in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; however, the role of PEA for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension due to pulmonary valve endocarditis is controversial. A critically ill 61-year-old man with intractable right ventricular heart failure was found to have chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension due to Streptococcus bovis pulmonary valve endocarditis and underwent successful pulmonary valve replacement and PEA. The successful outcome in this case suggests that PEA should be considered in patients with this condition.