Late pulmonary venous complications after lung transplantation.
Although abnormalities of the pulmonary venous anastomosis in the early postoperative period after lung transplantation have been reported from several centers, late complications related to the pulmonary venous anastomosis have not been described. In the present study, we describe the clinical and transesophageal echocardiographic findings of pulmonary vein anastomotic complications in two patients at 1.9 and 2.3 years after lung transplantation. Both pulmonary venous abnormalities, stenosis in the first instance and thrombosis in the second instance, impaired venous outflow on the affected side causing unilateral edema and pleural effusion. Pulmonary venous abnormalities late after lung transplantation can mimic allograft rejection, opportunistic infection, or heart failure and are best diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography.
Liguori
C
C
Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Schulman
L L
LL
Weslow
R G
RG
DiTullio
M R
MR
McGregor
C C
CC
Smith
C R
CR
Homma
S
S
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000175:diagnosis; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology