Eight years of lung transplantation: experience of the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases.
BACKGROUND
Lung transplantation has evolved from an experimental procedure to a viable therapeutic option in many countries. In Iran, the first single-lung transplantation was performed in the year 2000, more than 3 decades after the first successful procedure in the world, and the first double-lung transplantation was performed in the year 2006.


OBJECTIVE
To describe our 8-year experience in lung transplantation.


METHODS
During 8 years, we performed 24 lung transplantation procedures. Underlying lung diseases were pulmonary fibrosis in 16 patients (66.6%); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2 (8.3%); bronchiectasis in 5, including 2 patients with cystic fibrosis (20.8%), and alveolar microlithiasis in 1 (4.16%). Data for all patients were collected and analyzed. Procedures were carried out using standardized methods. The induction suppression regimen consisted of cyclosporine and methylprednisolone. Maintenance immunosuppression drugs were cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil, and tapering dosage of prednisolone. Patients were followed up with physical examinations, 3 times a week, as well as and cycle ergometry 3 times a week and spirometry and laboratory tests once a week and chest radiography per needed for up to 3 months posttransplantation.


RESULTS
The longest survival time was 7.2 years, in a 60-year-old patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Fourteen patients died, 8 as a result of hemodynamic instability and/or hemorrhage, 1 as a result of bone and fat emboli, 3 after cessation of drug and 2 of them after infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Although lung transplantation is a complex procedure it can be performed in developing countries such as Iran.
Shadmehr
M B
MB
National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Massih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
Arab
M
M
Pejhan
S
S
Daneshvar
A
A
Javaherzadeh
N
N
Abbasi
A
A
Ahmadi
Z H
ZH
Radpay
B
B
Dabir
S
S
Parsa
T
T
Mohammadi
F
F
Mansoori
S D
SD
Tabarsi
P
P
Amiri
M Valiollahpour
MV
Marjani
M
M
Kashani
B Sharif
BS
Najafizadeh
K
K
Shafaghi
S
S
Ghorbani
F
F
Masjedi
M R
MR
Velayati
A A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017741:Survivors; D055815:Young Adult