[The results of the evaluation of 208 patients referred in the first 4 years to a lung transplantation program. The Lung Transplantation Group of Hospital Vall d'Hebron].
Retrospective analysis of the patients referred for possible lung transplants between 1990 and 1994. Between 1990 and 1994 the Lung Transplant Program at Hospital Vall d'Hebron received 208 referrals from all over Spain. The cases most often involved a combination of bronchiectasia and cystic fibrosis (29%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25%) and pulmonary fibrosis (16.5%). Internationally established guidelines for lung transplantation were used to screen the cases and the results have been analyzed retrospectively. After first evaluating the report sent by the patient's pneumonologist, 100 patients (49%) were considered candidates for further hospital study. Of the 100, 53 (25%) were finally placed on an active waiting list. Twenty-seven (12.9%) of the 53 received transplants, 6 died while waiting, and the others remained on the waiting list on 31 December 1994. Mortality among the rejected patients between the first visit until the end of the study, excluding those who were not yet classified as serious cases and those who were terminally ill, was 36/123 (29%). Actuarial survival rates at 12 and 24 months for transplanted patients were 64 and 49%, respectively. After following the currently accepted screening methods, one in 4 patients referred for possible lung transplantation was finally given a place on the active waiting list. The series studied here is noteworthy for the relatively low number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in comparison with other programs, although we expect the number to increase in the coming years.
Morell
F
F
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Román
A
A
Bravo
C
C
Nicolau
F
F
Martí
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014850:Waiting Lists