title: Simplified technique of heart-lung transplantation.
abstract: Well-known complications of heart-lung transplantation include mediastinal bleeding and phrenic nerve injury. Conventional technique places the hila behind the phrenic nerves. We have placed the hila in front of the phrenic nerve in our last 10 patients, using direct caval anastomoses when feasible. This minimizes traction on and dissection around the phrenic nerves, and allows anterior rotation of the heart-lung block for easier hemostasis of the posterior mediastinum after implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lick
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Arabia
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Sethi
mesh_terms: D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods; D016041:Heart-Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques