Mid-term results after lung transplantation in 23 consecutive recipients at a single center

Objective To evaluate the complications and survival after lung transplantation in one center.Methods From January 2003 to August 2007, 23 patients with end-stage lung diseases received lung transplantations consecutively in our center.The clinical data of recipients" demographic data, survival, postoperative complications, pulmonary function, oxygenation, incidence of rejection, and pneumonia were analyzed retrospectively.Results Three patients (13 %) died in the early postoperative period (1～30 days).Cumulative survival rate was 82.6 % at 3 months, 82.6 % at 1 year, 69.7 % at 2 years, and 58.1% at 3 years respectively.Of 21 recipients, 3 recipients developed pulmonary bacterium infection (14.3 %), 4 developed fungal infection (19 %), and 3 had bronchus suture complications (14.3 %).There was significant difference in forced expiratory volume in one second [(FEV1(19.5 ± 4.9) vs (44.7 ± 17.9) % of the predictive value], maximal ventilatory volume [MW (23.1 ±5.7) vs (59.8 ± 18.9) % of the predictive value], forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC, 34.9 ± 5.0 vs 64.6 ± 16.7), arterial oxygen tension [PaO2 (59.3 ± 8.7) vs (83.6 ± 10.6) mm Hg], and arterial carbon dioxide tension [PaCO2, (48.1 ± 11.0) vs (38.5± 3.9) mm Hg] at the 2nd month post-transplantation vs before operation (all P<0.01).An average of 0.48 episodes of acute rejection developed per patient in the first 6 months after lung transplantation.Freedom from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was 95 %, 78.2 % and 71.1% at the 6th, 12th and 24th month posttransplantation, respectively.Conclusions The pulmonary functional status is improved significantly after lung transplantation.Mid-term survival was comparable to the data of the international society for heart and lung transplantation.The most frequent complications postoperation were pulmonary infection and bronchus suture. Key words: Lung transplantation;  Prognosis