Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Patrick Himmelheber knew something was wrong. The once healthy, active, hockey-playing 36-year-old was now struggling to catch his breath and climb a flight of stairs. Doctors found major clotting in the blood vessels in his lungs connecting to his heart that prevented him from breathing properly. He was diagnosed with a rare and fatal condition called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).
Follow Patrick's journey as he is referred to UHN’s thoracic surgery team and meets Dr. Marc de Perrot and Dr. Laura Donahoe. At the home of the largest CTEPH program in Canada, Patrick undergoes a complex 10-hour surgery to remove the blockages.
Read the full story here:
uhn.ca/corporate/news/pages/uhn-cteph-program-performing-advanced-procedure-that-can-cure-the-condition.aspx
UHN is Canada's Hospital and the world's No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 20,000 members of TeamUHN, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care.
Patrick Himmelheber knew something was wrong. The once healthy, active, hockey-playing 36-year-old was now struggling to catch his breath and climb a flight of stairs. Doctors found major clotting in the blood vessels in his lungs connecting to his heart that prevented him from breathing properly. He was diagnosed with a rare and fatal condition called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).
Follow Patrick's journey as he is referred to UHN’s thoracic surgery team and meets Dr. Marc de Perrot and Dr. Laura Donahoe. At the home of the largest CTEPH program in Canada, Patrick undergoes a complex 10-hour surgery to remove the blockages.
Read the full story here:
uhn.ca/corporate/news/pages/uhn-cteph-program-performing-advanced-procedure-that-can-cure-the-condition.aspx
UHN is Canada's Hospital and the world's No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 20,000 members of TeamUHN, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care.
