[Lung transplantation in the treatment of ventilator dependent end-stage lung diseases: report of three cases].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the perioperative management, recipient selection of end-stage lung diseases dependent on ventilator, and the strategy of ventilator weaning.


METHODS
Fifteen patients underwent lung transplantation in our hospital from 2002 to 2005. Of them, three were dependent on ventilator for 89, 120 and 107 days respectively because of end-stage pulmonary emphysema before operation. Single-lung transplantation was performed in one patient and sequential bilateral single-lung transplantations were performed in two patients without extracorporeal circulation.


RESULTS
The three patients were weaned from ventilator in the sixth, eleventh and twenty second day respectively after operation. They were discharged from hospital 71 d, 41 d, and 67 d respectively after operation. They had been followed up for 22, 4, and 2 months respectively before this analysis. Their quality of life improved significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Lung transplantation is effective for the treatment of ventilator dependent end-stage lung diseases.
Zhou
Min
M
Center of Lung Transplant, Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangsu 214073, China.
Chen
Jing-yu
JY
Yu
Zhen
Z
Yuan
Min-yu
MY
Cui
Xiao-chuan
XC
Qian
Xiu-fen
XF
Zhu
Jian-rong
JR
Lu
Ming-hua
MH
Lu
Guo-chu
GC
D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000009:adverse effects*