ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of balloon bronchoplasty and metallic stents in lung transplant-related central airway stenosis.MethodsData of lung transplant recipients with central airway stenosis who underwent therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions between January 2011 and June 2019 at our institution were reviewed. The clinical follow-up included dyspnea index, forced expiratory Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), six-minute walk distance (6MWD), and the rate of bronchoscopic dilation.ResultsThirty-four lung transplant recipients with airway stenosis were included in our study. All these patients were treated by balloon bronchoplasty through flexural bronchoscopy, and 7 additionally needed temporary metal stent implantation for 28 to 67 days in order to palliate recurrent central airway stenosis. The percentages of immediate efficacy were 86% (180/209) and 100% (7/7), respectively. After serial balloon dilatation, the recipients with central airway stenosis had significantly lower dyspnea index (3.24±0.55 vs. 1.91±0.62, P<0.01), higher FEV1 ［(1.43±0.21)L vs. (1.72±0.27)L, P<0.01］ and longer 6MWD ［(317.3±61.7)m vs. (372.9±52.6)m, P<0.01］. Six recipients with central airway stenosis received 33 interventions in 6 months before stent implantation and 10 interventions in 6 months after stent extraction.ConclusionsLung transplant recipients with central airway stenosis have a good respond to balloon bronchoplasty and stent placement. Airway stenosis after lung transplantation can be successfully managed with bronchoscopic dilatation and temporary stent placement.
Objective To summarize the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of severe primary graft dysfunction ( PGD grade 3 ) in early stage after lung transplantation. Methods From September 2002 to December 2010, there were 10 patients with severe PGD ( grade 3) in early stage after lung transplantation ( LTx) in 100 patients with end-stage lung disease underwent LTx in Wuxi People’s Hospital. In which there were 2 cases with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 4 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,1 case with lung tuberculosis, 1 case with silicosis, 2 cases with bronchiectasis. There were 7 patients with single LTx [ 3 cases with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO) support] and 3 patients with bilateral LTx ( 1 case with ECMO support) . Results The surgical procedures of these 10 patients were successful, however severe PGD occurred on 1-5 days after operation. 4 cases died of respiratory failure with negative fluid balance and mechanical ventilation support, and 2 cases recovered. 4 cases underwent ECMO support, in which 2 cases successfully weaned from ECMO and discharged from hospital, others died of multiple organ failure.Conclusions Severe PGD is one of the fatal early complication after lung transplantation. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important to improve the perioperative mortality rate.
Objective To explore the hemodynamic monitoring value of pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output( PiCCO) during lung transplantation. Methods Twenty patients with end-stage lung disease undergone lung transplantation were enrolled. Hemodynamic states were monitored by PiCCO and Swan-Ganz standard thermodilution pulmonary artery catheter( PAC) simultaneously at six stages throughout the study. Changes in the variables were calculated by subtracting the first fromthe second measurement( Δ1 ) and so on ( Δ1 to Δ5 ) . Results The linear correlation between intra-thoracic blood volume index( ITBVI) and stroke volume index( SVIpa) was significant ( r = 0. 654, P lt; 0. 05) , whereas pulmonary artery wedge pressure ( PAWP) poorly correlated with SVIpa( P gt; 0. 05) . Changes in ITBVI correlated with changes in SVIpa ( Δ1 , r =0. 621; Δ2 , r = 0. 784; Δ3 , r = 0. 713; Δ4 , r = 0. 740; Δ5 , r = 0. 747; all P lt; 0. 05) , whereas PAWP failed. The mean bias between CIart and CIpa was ( 0. 09 ±0. 5) L·min-1 ·m-2 ; the limit of agreement was ( - 0. 89 ～1. 07) L·min-1 ·m-2 . Conclusions There is good correlation between the two methods of PiCCO and PAC for reflecting the change of heart preload. PiCCO is reliable in hemodynamic monitoring in patients undergone lung transplantation.
Objective To investigate the experience of operative technique of donor organ harvesting and lung transplantation in some unusual circumstance, and to improve surgical success ratio of lung transplantation. Methods Lung transplants were preformed in 65 cases, including 47 singlelung transplants and 18 double single lung transplants. All the recipients were suffered from intensive respiratory failure,and nine patients were longterm ventilatordependented of the total. The recipients included emphysema (n=23), pulmonary fibrosis (n=24), pneumosilicosis(n=5), pulmonary tuberculosis(n=2), lymphangioleiomyomatosis(n=1) and ventricular septal defect(VSD) or VSD with Eisenmenger’s syndrome(n=4),bronchiectasis (n=4), diffuse panbronchiolitis (n=1) and primary pulmonary hypertension(n=1). Retrospectively summarize clinical experience of lung transplant operation especially experience of dealing with special circumstances encountered in operation. Results 64 donor organ harvesting were achieved successfully. Inhospital death was 11cases (16.9%) after operation. Early death was due to primary lung graft dysfunction (n=3), severe infection(n=6), acute rejection(n=1), pulmonary vein embolism(n=1). Complications took place after operation in 9 cases, to exploratory thoracotomy to stop bleeding after transplantation in 3 cases, pulmonary artery anastomosis again because of stenosis in 1 case, bronchus stoma stenosis in 3 cases, pulmonary infarction in 2 cases, of which one patient accepted pulmonary lobectomy. Follow-up period was from 1.0 year to 5.6 years of 54 cases. 1year survival rate was 72.3%（47/65）.The pulmonary function was improved and the quality of life is well in most patients of the group. Conclusion To improve the technique of donor organ harvesting and lung transplantation is important to decrease the early mortality after transplantation.
Objective To assess the effects of lung transplantation (LT) in the treatment of end-stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and evaluated its impact on quality of life (QoL). Methods A total of 54 patients with end-stage PAH admitted to the LT center of Wuxi People’s Hospital between January 2007 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into surgical and non-surgical groups. Clinical data were compared between the groups. The clinical data such as symptoms, signs, biochemistry, survival rate and quality of life were compared between the two groups. The effects of lung transplantation on survival and quality of life were analyzed. The quality of life was scored by SF-36 scale. Results A total of 54 patients with end-stage pulmonary arterial hypertension who met the indications for lung transplantation were enrolled. Among them, 36 patients underwent lung transplantation and 18 patients did not undergo surgery. There were no statistical differences in gender, course of disease, disease type, symptoms between the two groups. The uric acid of the non-operation group was significantly higher than that of the lung transplantation group (P=0.014). The systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) of the non-operation group was significantly lower than that of the lung transplantation group (P=0.046). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the survival rate of the operation group was higher than that of the non-operation group (P=0.0087). The quality of life assessment showed that after lung transplantation, the physical component summary and mental component summary scores of operation group were higher than those before operation (P<0.01), and also higher than non-operation group in the same period (P<0.05). Preoperative low systemic circulation blood pressure, poor cardiac function, high NT-proBNP and high uric acid may be the risk factors for early death of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension after lung transplantation. Conclusions Lung transplantation can effectively improve survival and also QoL for patients with end-stage PH. Early detection of risk factors and preoperative assessment can help improve the perioperative survival.
Lung transplantation is the only treatment for patients with end-stage lung diseases. And this field is also a research hotspot in the international field at presen. Relevant researches not only promote the progress and development of lung transplantation, but also improve the life quality of patients after transplantation. With the development of lung transplantation technology, the guidelines for identifying candidates are constantly being revised, and the source of donor lungs has always been an urgent problem for all transplantation centers. The standardized management during transplantation period involves anesthesia induction, intraoperative fluid management, airway management, management of important operative steps and postoperative pain management. Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) includes cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). With the progress and development of ECLS technology, the advantages of ECMO as a bridge for lung transplantation, intraoperative and postoperative circulatory support are becoming more and more prominent, enabling recipient patients to successfully pass the period of lung transplantation. Although lung transplantation in basic science and clinical researches has got a lot of progress, to improve the survival rate after transplantation, we must overcome many challenges including how to successfully perform lung transplantation, expand lung donor library, induce tolerance, and prevent complications after transplantation, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), cell and antibody mediated rejection and infection.
As the aging proceeds worldwide, aging lung transplantation recipients have been increased dramatically. Aging population with end-stage lung diseases also have comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, which may impact the prognosis of lung transplantation. Recent researches on lung transplantation have explored the characteristics of aging recipients, strategy selection on transplantation and cardiovascular disease management, as well as risk factors for post-transplantation complications and death. However, researches on lung transplantation recipients with cardiac valve disease are just in the initial stage. With the advancement of transcatheter technique, more patients will be benefited. We summarized the advancement in this field and took an outlook for future clinical researches.
The rehabilitation experience of 20 patients with tracheostomy after lung transplantation was reported, and the key points of rehabilitation nursing included sequential oxygen therapy, airway clearance, diaphragm pacing, respiratory training, swallowing training, speech training, exercise training, and gastrointestinal function rehabilitation. Tracheostomy is conducive to airway management and offline extubation in patients assisted by long-term breathing, and promotes patient recovery and discharge through multidisciplinary collaborative rehabilitation nursing integrated case management.
Lung transplantation has been proved to be an effective treatment after more than forty years of fast development, while more than 4000 cases of lung transplantation performed globally each year. Recently, lung transplantation in China has been advanced rapidly, and the number of transplants has increased year by year. Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine team has been recognized to play a crucial role in lung transplantation. It has an irreplaceable role and status in promoting lung transplantation, improving the preoperative evaluation of lung transplantation and the maintenance of donors, and carrying out perioperative management, as well as long-term follow-up. Lung transplantation is a systematic project, requiring the perfect cooperation and collaboration of team members and contributing to recipients’ recovery.
Abstract: Although lung transplantation has been established as the only valid therapeutic approach for endstage pulmonary disease, several related problems remain to be solved. In addition to the serious problem in donor lung shortage, primary graft dysfunction caused by lung ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the most common reason of early mortality. Optimal preservation of lung is essential to reduce ischemic organ dysfunction after lung transplantation. The development of a highly reliable lung preservation solution that reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury will improve the functioning of transplanted lungs. The progress of the type, perfusing technique or strategies and modified methods of lung preservation solution are reviewed in this article.