Preparing for PTE

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Aside from the tests required to determine whether pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) surgery is the right procedure for you, a number of things need to be handled before your surgery:

  • Complete the application and medical history information in the Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy Program packet (which will be mailed to you) and send it back.
  • Have your medical summary sent to the medical team at UC San Diego. This information will be reviewed by one of the PTE team members, who will contact you and your physician with information regarding the arrangements that need to be made.

Where to Stay in San Diego

You will receive a packet with information on housing options when you schedule your treatment.

Paying for Your Stay

We realize that staying in San Diego for approximately three weeks can be costly, despite our ongoing efforts to help you minimize your expenses wherever possible. Therefore, we recommend that you be financially prepared to cover the following expenses:

  • Airfare, including additional fees for oxygen in-flight (if you are flying)
  • Oxygen during your hotel stay and/or transportation to and from the airport
  • Rental car bills and gasoline (if you elect to rent a car during your stay)
  • Hotel bills, including phone calls
  • Meals outside the hospital
  • Incidentals
  • Various unexpected expenses

Medication and Oxygen During Your Stay

We will handle your medications while you are hospitalized. However, any medications you need while you are an outpatient or during your hotel stay are expenses you will need to plan for. 

Please bring an ample supply of those medications with you, or plan to pay for them here in San Diego out of pocket. This includes any prescriptions that your UC San Diego doctors may write outside of your hospitalization time.

If you are on oxygen prior to your arrival in San Diego, ask your oxygen company if they are affiliated with an oxygen company here. If they are not, there are a number of independent oxygen delivery companies in San Diego, including:

  • Apria
  • Lincare
  • Prescribed Oxygen

We can provide you with the telephone numbers for these companies, as well as assist you with making arrangements for oxygen delivery.

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