title: Transplantation after ex vivo lung perfusion: A midterm follow-up.
abstract: A large proportion of donor lungs are discarded due to known or presumed organ dysfunction. Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has proven its value as a tool for discrimination between reversible and irreversible donor lung pathology. However, the long-term outcome after transplantation of lungs after EVLP is essentially unknown. We report short-term and midterm outcomes of recipients who received transplants of EVLP-evaluated lungs.
  
  
  
  Single-center results of recipients of lungs with prior EVLP were compared with consecutive recipients of non-EVLP lungs (controls) during the same period. Short-term follow-up included time to extubation, time in the intensive care unit, and the presence of primary graft dysfunction at 72 hours postoperatively. Mortality and incidence of chronic lung allograft dysfunction were monitored for up to 4 years after discharge.
  
  
  
  During a 4-year period, 32 pairs of initially rejected donor lungs underwent EVLP. After EVLP, 22 double lungs and 5 single lungs were subsequently transplanted. During this period, 145 patients received transplants of conventional donor lungs that did not have EVLP and constituted the control group. Median time to extubation was 7 hours in the EVLP group and 6 hours in the non-EVLP control group (p = 0.45). Median intensive care unit stay was 4 days vs. 3 days, respectively (p = 0.15). Primary graft dysfunction grade > 1 was present in 14% in the EVLP group and in 12% in the non-EVLP group at 72 hours after transplant. Survival at 1 year was 92% in the EVLP group and 79% in the non-EVLP group. Cumulative survival and freedom from retransplantation or chronic rejection were also comparable between the 2 groups (p = 0.43) when monitored up to 4 years.
  
  
  
  Selected donor lungs rejected for transplantation can be used after EVLP. This technique is effective for selection of transplantable donor lungs. Patients who received lungs evaluated under EVLP have short-term and midterm outcomes comparable to recipients of non-EVLP donor lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy. Electronic address: andreas.wallinder@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallinder
authors.affiliation: Transplant Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gerdt C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Riise
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sven-Erik
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ricksten
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silverborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy; Transplant Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellgren
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055031:Primary Graft Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: chronic lung allograft dysfunction; ex vivo lung perfusion; lung evaluation; lung transplantation; primary graft dysfunction