Retrieval by other procurement teams provides favorable lung transplantation outcome.
BACKGROUND
During the last 4 years, we have increasingly used lungs retrieved by other procurement teams. We therefore investigated whether the use of those lungs affected the outcome of lung transplantation.


METHODS
We analyzed the results of 159 consecutive lung transplantations performed at our institution between July 1, 1992, and December 31, 1995. The transplants were divided into three groups: distant donor lungs retrieved by our team (DB group, n = 68); distant donor lungs retrieved by other teams (DX group, n = 46); and local donor lungs retrieved by our team (LB group, n = 44). One transplantation with a local donor lung retrieved by another team was excluded from the analysis.


RESULTS
No significant differences were noted between the three groups in alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient immediately after transplantation (DB group, 359 +/- 18 mm Hg; DX group, 329 +/- 23 mm Hg; LB group, 327 +/- 20 mm Hg) and at 24 hours; days on ventilator; days in the intensive care unit; length of hospital stay; 30-day mortality; and actuarial 1-year survival (DB group, 81%; DX group, 87%; LB group, 89%).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of donor lungs retrieved by other teams achieves an equivalently satisfactory outcome after lung transplantation as lungs retrieved by our team.
Shiraishi
Y
Y
Department of Surgery, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Ochoa
L
L
Richardson
G
G
Semenkovich
J R
JR
Trulock
E P
EP
Sundaresan
S
S
Cooper
J D
JD
Patterson
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000601:surgery; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome