BLUHM CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE
COMPREHENSIVE CTEPH CARE FROM LEADING EXPERTS
The CTEPH Program at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute delivers expert care and breakthrough treatments tailored to each patient’s condition. Whether patients live around the corner or far away, our dedicated CTEPH team will be there every step of the way.
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Seeking expert CTEPH care for yourself, a loved one, or a patient?
CTEPH is a condition that may develop in patients who have had a pulmonary embolism (PE). About five percent of patients who have experienced PE develop chronic blood clots in the lungs, and this condition is known as CTEPH. These chronic blood clots can lead to complications including heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.
CTEPH can be managed with proper diagnosis and treatment. It’s critical for patients with this complex disease to seek care at a center of excellence, with a team specialized trained to manage the complexities of CTEPH.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is ranked among the top 25 hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery by Newsweek and No. 7 in the nation for cardiology, heart & vascular surgery by U.S. News & World Report, 2026 - 2027.
Northwestern Medicine CTEPH Featured Publications
- Chiu S, Bunclark K, Appenzeller P, Ghani H, Taboada D, Sheares K, Toshner M, Pepke-Zaba J, Cannon J, Taghavi F, Tsui S, Ng C, Jenkins DP. Impact of preoperative body mass index on long-term survival, quality of life, and functional outcomes after pulmonary endarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Results from the UK National Cohort. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2025 Jan;44(1):25-32. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2024.09.005. Epub 2024 Sep 10. PMID: 39265669.
- Robinson E, Logan C, Chiu S, Husain N, Cuttica MJ, Mongé MC, Malaisrie SC. Pulmonary Endarterectomy for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Valved Pulmonary Conduit Thrombosis. JACC Case Rep. 2025 Mar 5;30(5):103069. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2024.103069. PMID: 40054902; PMCID: PMC11912009.
- Rathod SN, Ropski P, Glowala J, Quinn CM, Stamper A, Bolon MK, Schimmel D, Chiu SF, Malaisrie SCC, Cuttica MJ, Mylvaganam R. Overlap and correlation of reperfusion lung injury with postoperative pneumonia following pulmonary thromboendarterectomy: incidence, characteristics, and outcomes in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. BMC Pulm Med. 2025 Mar 14;25(1):119. doi: 10.1186/s12890-025-03575-3. PMID: 40087670; PMCID: PMC11909894.
- Christopher Malaisrie S, Chiu S, Schimmel D, Samant M, Avery R, Rahsepar A, Allen B, Raza Y, Freed B, Mylvaganam R, Cuttica MJ. Outcomes of Multidisciplinary Care at a Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Center. Pulm Circ. 2025 Apr 21;15(2):e70085. doi: 10.1002/pul2.70085. PMID: 40264904; PMCID: PMC12011997.
- Fan L, Davó-Jiménez M, Benefield BC, Beydoun N, Dushfunian D, Cohn S, Cuttica M, Mylvaganam R, Malaisrie SC, Chiu S, Hsu LY, Avery R, Schimmel D, Raza Y, Durkin J, Nieto D, Markl M, Lee DC, Kim D, Freed BH. Cardiovascular MRI-based Biventricular Perfusion Assessment in Two Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Undergoing Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy. Radiol Cardiothorac Imaging. 2025 Dec;7(6):e250296. doi: 10.1148/ryct.250296. PMID: 41263662; PMCID: PMC12728512.
- Hassan SM, Mylvaganam R, Didebulidze T, Khalid M, Nardelli P, Piazza G, San Jose Estepar R, Cuttica MJ, Johnson S, Dao N, San Jose Estepar R, Washko GR, Rahaghi FN. Leveraging Hybrid Natural Language Processing Techniques for Large-Scale Pulmonary Embolism Identification. JACC Adv. 2025 Nov;4(11 Pt 2):101845. doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.101845. Epub 2025 May 21. PMID: 41350101; PMCID: PMC12717584.
- Larson J, Khorasani S, Laurenzo S, Chiu S, Malaisrie SC, Schimmel D, Rahaghi F, Cuttica M, Mylvaganam R. Leveraging Vascular Over Ventricular Ratios in Observational Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Acute Pulmonary Embolism Cohorts to Decode Clot Chronicity on Computed Tomography Angiography. Pulm Circ. 2025 Dec 26;15(4):e70223. doi: 10.1002/pul2.70223. PMID: 41459318; PMCID: PMC12742534.
*Bolding of author’s name indicates Northwestern Medicine and/or Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty.
Meet the Team
Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is a nationally recognized destination for those who require highly specialized heart and vascular care.
Make an Appointment
Whether you are experiencing symptoms that you do not understand or have already been diagnosed with CTEPH and are looking for a second opinion, Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offers comprehensive expertise to you and your loved ones at multiple convenient locations.
Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
675 N. Saint Clair Street
Galter Pavilion, Suite 19-100
Chicago, IL 60611
312.NM.HEART (312.664.3278) (TTY:711)
Advanced treatments, leading-edge technology
As one of the few centers in the country to offer both BPA and PTE, our team is proud to deliver exceptional care for even the most complex cases. Our highly trained team has performed over 200 PTEs and over 500 BPAs with outstanding outcomes, including 0% 30-day mortality in both PTE and BPA.
Hear From Our Patients
Northwestern Medicine
Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute
at Palos Hospital
12251 South 80th Avenue, Suite 1520
Palos Heights, Illinois 60463
708.923.4200 (TTY:711)
Make an Appointment
Get an Appointment FAST
No matter where you live, our heart and vascular experts are here to help. From the first time you contact us, we will guide you at every step of your journey through a program called FAST, or Facilitating Access and Scheduling Throughput.
You can call 312.NM.HEART (312.664.3278) or schedule online.
We offer virtual visits so you can get expert guidance right from your home. If you prefer an in-person visit or need testing, we have 19 convenient locations across the Chicago area.
Not Ready to Schedule an Appointment?
Our experts are here to answer your questions and ensure you get the care you need. Fill out the form here if you would like to be contacted by a nurse for questions related to your condition, treatment options or appointments.
You can call 312.NM.HEART (312.664.3278) or schedule online.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA): a minimally invasive procedure that moves blood clots out of the way to restore normal blood flow to the lung.
Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery (PTE): a surgery that removes blood clots to restore normal blood flow to the lung. This surgery is considered the gold standard for restoring blood flow to the lung.
A Seamless Patient Experience
We put each patient at the center of their care team. A nurse coordinator who is an expert in CTEPH will guide patients every step of the way.
The coordinator will:
- Recommend a physician.
- Help collect medical records.
- Schedule appointments and any tests and procedures.
After a virtual intake visit with our nurse coordinator, our physicians will offer treatment recommendations tailored to the patient’s specific needs. Then, the patient will meet with a physician to discuss treatment options and develop a care plan.
We offer virtual visits so patients can get expert guidance from home. If an in-person visit is preferred, we have multiple convenient locations across the Chicago area.
Whether you live far away or around the corner, we make it easy for you to schedule visits, get the care you need and manage your condition for the rest of your life.