title: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in brain-dead organ donors.
abstract: Criteria for selecting lung donors include normal chest X-ray and adequate gas exchange, but normal bronchoscopy is not always required. Thus, we conducted a prospective study of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in 72 brain-dead donors scheduled for multiple organ procurement. Chest X-ray was considered normal in 37 donors (51%), and PaO2 was > 400 mm Hg with an FIO2 of 100% in 34 donors (47%). Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was normal in only 24 donors (33%). In the remaining 48 donors, inhalation of gastric contents (n = 26) or blood (n = 17), pulmonary contusion (n = 5), or purulent bronchial secretions (n = 4) were noted. In the 26 donors with normal chest X-ray and PaO2 > 400 mm Hg with FIO2 of 100%, bronchoscopy was abnormal in 10 donors (38%). In 33 donors, arteriovenous difference in oxygen content (2.4 +/- 0.8 ml O2/100 ml), and pulmonary shunt (0.30 +/- 0.11, range 0.13-0.49) were measured. In the 15 donors with PaO2 > 400 mm Hg, pulmonary shunt was 0.23 +/- 0.07 (range 0.13-0.35). Our study suggests that chest X-ray and arterial blood gas analysis are not sufficient, and that fiberoptic bronchoscopy should be routinely performed to select potential lung donors. Even in brain-dead donors, only the measurement of pulmonary shunt can precisely assess pulmonary gas exchange.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris VI University, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riou
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guesde
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jacquens
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duranteau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viars
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen