Lung transplanted after 10 months on mechanical ventilation

A minor sensation was reported recently from Okayama, Japan, in Ann Thorac Surg (Tanaka S et al, 2017) where a 10-year-old girl successfully received a donor lung from a teenage donor with hypoxic brain damage who had been on mechanical ventilation for well over 10 months.

The donor’s lungs revealed diffuse radiologic infiltration and atelectasis but excellent function, with a PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio of 450. According to the report, the recipient “developed grade 2 primary graft dysfunction, but recovered quickly. She is doing well and has not experienced any other critical adverse events 12 months after lung transplantation.”.

Reference:

8. Tanaka S, Successful lung transplantation using a deceased donor mechanically ventilated for ten months.  Ann Thorac Surg. 2017 Aug;104(2):e177-e179 (link to abstract)

Xvivo Insights PB-2018-01-28