Experimental en bloc double-lung transplantation

A technique of en bloc double-lung transplantation through a median sternotomy has been developed. Hypothermic circulatory arrest was used after surface cooling in 7 puppies (mean weight, 3.1 kg; range, 1.5 to 4.1 kg). A double lung block, consisting of the two lungs, distal trachea, the main pulmonary artery, and a large cuff of left atrium, was removed from weight-matched donors. After the arrest of the circulation by inflow occlusion, bilateral pneumonectomies were performed in the recipient. The donor double-lung block was then implanted with anastomoses at the distal trachea, the posterior left atrium, and the main pulmonary artery. All animals were successfully rewarmed and had excellent hemodynamic function and gas exchange for periods of up to 24 hours. If primate experiments with long-term survival confirm these initial results, this procedure may have a role in the treatment of patients with end-stage respiratory disease but acceptable cardiac function.     

Technique of successful lung transplantation in humans

We have performed five single lung transplantations for end-stage pulmonary fibrosis, with four long-term survivors. Two patients underwent right lung transplantation and two underwent left lung transplantation. The procedure is performed with one lung anesthesia, although cardiopulmonary bypass is available on standby if required. Donor and recipient procedures are performed in adjacent operating rooms. On the basis of laboratory studies, a pedicle of omentum is wrapped around the bronchial anastomosis after its completion to restore bronchial artery circulation and protect the anastomosis. The four patients were discharge from the hospital within 4 to 6 weeks and three returned to normal employment at 3 months. Success in these cases is attributed to careful patient selection, use of cyclosporine, and use of an omental pedicle to protect and improve healing of the bronchial anastomosis.     

Heart-lung versus double-lung transplantation for suppurative lung disease

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes after heart-lung or double-lung transplantation in patients undergoing transplantation because of end-stage suppurative lung disease. METHODS: We reviewed our experience in patients with cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis who had heart-lung or double-lung transplantation between January 1988 and September 1997. Twenty-three patients (14 male, 21 cystic fibrosis) had heart-lung transplantation and 24 patients (8 male, 19 cystic fibrosis) had double-lung transplantation. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in age, weight, preoperative creatinine level, cytomegalovirus status, maintenance immunosuppression, or donor demographics. Patients received induction therapy with monoclonal (OKT3) or polyclonal (rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin) antibody. RESULTS: Sixteen of 24 patients had double-lung transplantation after 1994 whereas 13 of 22 patients had heart-lung transplantation before 1991, allowing longer follow-up for the heart-lung group. Mean waiting times for transplantation were 270 +/- 245 days (heart-lung) and 361 +/- 229 days (double-lung; P =.20). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival figures were respectively 86%, 82%, and 65% (heart-lung) and 96%, 75%, and unavailable (double-lung; P = no significant difference). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year rates of freedom from obliterative bronchiolitis were respectively 77%, 61%, and 45% (heart-lung) and 86%, 78%, and unavailable (double-lung; P = no significant difference). Linearized overall infection rates (events/100 patient-days) were 2.05 +/- 0.33 (heart-lung) and 2.34 +/- 0.34 (double-lung; P = NS) at 3 months. Thirty-day survival was 100% (heart-lung) and 96% (double-lung). There were 7 late deaths among heart-lung recipients (3 obliterative bronchiolitis, 2 infection, 0 graft coronary artery disease, 2 other) whereas 2 late deaths related to obliterative bronchiolitis occurred in double-lung recipients. Graft coronary artery disease (all stenoses < 50%) affected 15% of heart-lung survivors, whereas 3 double-lung recipients (12.5%) required either bronchial dilatation or stenting. CONCLUSION: Heart-lung and double-lung transplantation provide similar palliation for patients with end-stage suppurative lung disease. Therefore double-lung transplantation should be the preferred operation for most patients with end-stage suppurative lung disease.     

Current and future role of double-lung transplantation for bilateral lung cancer

Technological advances have progressively enhanced the survival rate of lung transplant recipients and expanded its indications for various diseases, including the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, lung cancer constituted a mere 0.1% of the indications for lung transplantation over the past two decades. This statistic has remained stagnant, and numerous lung cancer patients continue to be excluded from lung transplantation candidacy. Contrary to the general exclusion of lung cancer patients from transplantation, the post-transplant survival rate for these patients is not inferior to that of patients with non-cancerous diseases. Furthermore, lung transplantation may offer curative treatment for patients with bilateral lung cancer whose respiratory insufficiency has advanced independently of cancer progression. This review aims to elucidate and examine the role of double lung transplantation (DLT) in bilateral lung cancer. We summarize the established indications for lung transplantation, appropriate histologic or molecular subtypes of lung cancer for transplantation, technical advances to minimize recurrence, post-DLT survival outcomes for lung cancer patients, and related translational research. We suggest that although DLT for bilateral lung cancer presents challenges, it may be considered a potential treatment option in select circumstances.     

Single- and double-lung transplantation. Problems and possible solutions.

There is a resurgence of interest in single- and double-lung transplantation for end-stage disease. An experience with six double-lung and three single-lung transplants is reported. The lungs were procured from a distance of up to 600 miles and the heart was shared with another team for transplantation in seven of nine instances. The operative mortality rate was 33%. Early transplant infections of donor origin were lethal. Late transplant pneumonitis was well tolerated and recovery was the rule. Three of nine cases had significant tracheal suture line stenosis and were managed conservatively. A technique of bronchial artery implantation using a conduit tailored from donor aorta is described. Transplant rejection was easily diagnosed and treated. Other notable complications included occasional massive pleural fluid loss, temporary space problem, and a delay in the 'resetting' of chemoreceptors resulting in moderate post-transplant hypercarbia accompanied by episodes in which the patient felt hypoxemic despite the maintenance of excellent levels of blood gases. A comprehensive rehabilitation program begun before operation is essential for success.     

Bilateral sequential lung transplantation: the procedure of choice for double-lung replacement

We recently described a technique for bilateral sequential lung transplantation that replaces the en bloc double-lung operation, a procedure that was accompanied by frequent problems with airway healing. Twenty-seven patients have undergone 28 bilateral sequential lung transplantations over the past 14 months. Eighteen patients had transplantation because of end-stage emphysema; 6, cystic fibrosis; and 1 each, obliterative bronchiolitis, usual interstitial pneumonitis with pulmonary fibrosis, and bronchiectasis. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used electively in the first 5 patients until it was recognized that the procedure could be done safely without it, and in only 3 additional recipients has it been employed. Mean ischemic time for the first lung was 276 +/- 43 minutes and for the second lung, 410 +/- 64 minutes. There have been five deaths, three in the postoperative period (11% operative mortality) and two late. The other patients are alive and well and do not require oxygen 2 to 15 months after transplantation. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second rose from 16% +/- 8% of predicted to 84% +/- 17% at 12 weeks. Six-minute walk values increased from a mean of 251 +/- 91 m to 666 +/- 42 m at 24 weeks. The excellent exposure afforded to both hemithoraces by the thoracosternotomy incision and the rare need of cardiopulmonary bypass have allowed us to offer the option of transplantation to patients who formerly would have been turned down because of previous pulmonary resection or pleurectomy. On four occasions, ventilator-dependent patients underwent successful transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

First successful clinical small intestine transplantation. Tactics and surgical technic

A case of successful clinical small bowel transplantation is demonstrated. A segment of 60 cm of jejunum and ileum has been harvested from the sister of the recipient and has been brought in heterotopic position in the first operative step. It was anastomosed to the recipient's GI-tract 6 weeks later. This procedure has the advantage that the graft can recover from ischemic damage in heterotopic position and that an immunological steady state can be achieved. This case of successful clinical small bowel transplantation offers a new causal therapy for patients with short gut syndrome.     

Operating room extubation: A predictive factor for 1-year survival after double-lung transplantation

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Employment outcomes following successful renal transplantation

Eng M, Zhang J, Cambon A, Marvin MR, Gleason J. Employment outcomes following successful renal transplantation.
Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01441.x.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: Data on employment outcomes after successful renal transplantation are few. We conducted this study to identify favorable factors for employment after transplantation. Methods: Adult patients <65 yr of age who underwent renal transplantation between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2007 were surveyed. Patients with graft survival <1 yr were excluded. We also tested their knowledge of Medicare coverage after transplantation. Data were analyzed using chi‐squared and Fisher’s exact tests. p‐Value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A 55% response rate was obtained where 56% of respondents were employed after transplantation. Race, marital status, previous transplant, and complicated post‐operative course did not influence employment. Favorable factors include male gender (p = 0.04), younger age (<40 [p = 0.0003] or <50 yr [p < 0.0001]), having ≥1 dependent (p = 0.04), higher education (minimum high school degree [p = 0.003] or some college [p = 0.002]), live donor recipient (p = 0.004), wait time <2 yr (p = 0.03), dialysis <2 yr (p < 0.0001) or pre‐dialysis (p = 0.04), and pre‐transplantation employment (p < 0.0001). Mean time for employment was 4.9 ± 6.3 months (median three months). Common reasons for unemployment were disability (59%) and retirement (27%). Finally, 7% correctly responded that Medicare benefits end 36 months following transplantation. Conclusions: Potentially modifiable factors to improve employment are earlier referral and better education regarding Medicare eligibility.     

Arterial stiffness after successful renal transplantation

Cardiovascular disease is a major barrier to the long-term survival of transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to determine whether successful renal transplantation improves the arterial stiffness resulting from chronic renal failure. This study involved a group of 9 recipients (23-56 years) who underwent successful renal transplantation at our clinic. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and - intima-media thickness of the bilateral common carotid arteries were measured in each patient before and 1 year after successful renal transplantation. One year after renal transplantation, the 9 patients showed a mean serum creatinine level of 1.41 mg/dL. Assessment of arterial stiffness in this group revealed that the mean brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was reduced after renal transplantation, but there was no reduction in the mean intima-media thickness of the bilateral common carotid arteries. There was a significant correlation between the variance ratios of pulse wave velocity and median blood pressure. The more effective blood pressure control provided by renal transplantation may functionally improve arterial stiffness. However, organic arterial stiffness remained unchanged 1 year after transplantation.     

New approaches for successful islet transplantation

The long-term control of glucose metabolism is expected to be achieved with insulin-secreting pancreatic islets transplanted as the whole pancreas or isolated islet tissue. The current clinical outcomes of such procedures are unsatisfactory compared with that of whole organ transplantation or experimental islet transplantation, although the safety of the transplantation procedure itself is assured. In this review, we first describe the immunological characteristics of purified islets in an attempt to explain the differences between the results for human and experimental islet transplantation. We then introduce new approaches currently undertaken in our laboratory that could, we hope, make islet transplantation more successful. Received: December 4, 1999 / Accepted: February 24, 2000