Management of dysfunction in the transplanted lung: Experience with 7 clinical cases

In a series of 34 lung transplant patients, donor lung dysfunction occurred on 7 occasions. One patient underwent retransplantation and the remaining 6 were treated conservatively. Survival was 100% in the donor lung dysfunction group. Percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second, carbon monoxide diffusion, room air oxygen tension, and distance walked in 6 minutes were all lower (p < 0.05) at 1 month after transplantation in those patients with donor lung dysfunction as compared with those without. These differences were not significant at 3 months after transplantation. We conclude that donor lung dysfunction can usually be managed conservatively with satisfactory results. Longer follow-up of this group of patients will be necessary to determine the long-term consequences of early graft injury.