Use of Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Lung Transplantation: A 10-Year Experience

Objective: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for lung transplantation (LTx) has been reported previously. This study reports the authors’ experience of planned and unplanned use of cardiopulmonary bypass for LTx.Design: Case series.Setting: A university teaching hospital.Participants: Patients undergoing LTx.Interventions: A retrospective analysis of the charts of all patients having undergone LTx over the last 10 years.Measurements and Main Results: Among 140 LTx, 23 (16%) were performed with the use of CPB. CPB was planned in 11 cases and unplanned in the 12 other cases. The use of CPB is associated with a longer period of postoperative mechanical ventilation, more pulmonary edema, more blood transfusion requirement, and an increase in postoperative mortality at 48 hours and 1 month. Surgical difficulties related to the dissection of the native left lung and acute right ventricular failure are the main reasons for unscheduled use of CPB.Conclusion: Scheduled and unscheduled CPB for LTx are associated with an increased mortality at 1 month and 1 year.