Tailoring of the lung to overcome size disparities in lung transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Between October 1989 and December 1994 in 13 (four single and nine bilateral lung transplantations) of 124 lung transplantations, pulmonary allografts were considered to be too large to fit into the recipient thoracic cavity.


METHODS
In all these patients (emphysema n = 6, fibrosis n = 4, pulmonary hypertension n = 3), the transplanted lungs were trimmed by extra anatomic wedge resections with the use of mechanical stapling devices to reach an acceptable size.


RESULTS
No postoperative complication attributable to the tailoring procedure was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Tailoring of the lung is a safe and efficient method to overcome moderate size disparities between donor and recipient lungs.
Wisser
W
W
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Vienna, Austria.
Klepetko
W
W
Wekerle
T
T
Laufer
G
G
Stift
A
A
Hiesmayr
M
M
Schlick
W
W
D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013528:Surgical Staplers; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014109:Total Lung Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous