Medication & treatment

Transplants can be a life-saving option for people with PH – but what happens if you choose this treatment option? Here Steph Pollard talks through the process and, overleaf, two pulmonary hypertension patients share their transplant stories.

Eight years after his own pulmonary endarterectomy operation at Papworth, volunteer Steve Stickler has helped hundreds of other patients prepare for the surgery. He spoke to Mary Ferguson about his journey to diagnosis, the importance of giving back, and why supporting other candidates at the hospital means so much to him.

Police officer Elizabeth Cullen was diagnosed with PH in 2007 and underwent a pulmonary endarterectomy to save her life. Elizabeth, who lives in Ireland, reflects on her journey to surgery, and the difference it has made.

An operation called a pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) can really improve the quality of life for people with a type of PH called Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH). Many patients undergo this serious surgery without complications – whilst others can have a rockier ride.