OBJECTIVES
History of anatomical lung resection complicates lung transplantation (LTx). Our aim was to identify indications, intraoperative approach, and outcome in these challenging cases in a retrospective multicentre cohort analysis.
METHODS
Members of the ESTS Lung Transplantation Working Group were invited to submit data on patients undergoing LTx after a previous anatomical native lung resection between 01/2005 and 07/2020. The primary end-point was overall survival (Kaplan–Meier estimation).
RESULTS
Out of 2690 patients at 7 European centers, 26 (1%) patients (14 male; median age 33 years) underwent LTx after a previous anatomical lung resection. Median time from previous lung resection to LTx was 12 years. The most common indications for lung resection were infections (n = 17), emphysema (n = 5), lung tumour (n = 2), and others (n = 2). Bronchiectasis (cystic fibrosis (CF) or non-CF related) was the main indication for LTx (n = 21), followed by COPD (n = 5). Two patients with a previous pneumonectomy underwent contralateral single LTx and 1 patient with a previous lobectomy had ipsilateral single LTx. The remaining 23 patients underwent bilateral LTx. Clamshell incision was performed in 12 (46%) patients. Moreover, LTx was possible without extracorporeal life support in 13 (50%) patients. 90-day mortality was 8% (n = 2) and the median survival was 8.7 years.
CONCLUSIONS
History of anatomical lung resection is rare in LTx candidates. The majority of patients are young and diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Although the numbers were limited, survival after LTx in patients with previous anatomical lung resection, including pneumonectomy is comparable to reported conventional LTx for bronchiectasis.
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