Two cases of left single lung transplantation for pulmonary fibrosis are reported, one of a 50 years old white male who is alive and well 8 months after the transplantation and the other of a 36 years old female weighing 45 kg who received an upper lobe transplantation from a 85 kg donor. This patient died of multiple organ failure in the 8th postoperative day due to complications related to an unexplained cardiac tamponade and also possible rejection but was able to maintain good ventilatory and hemodynamic conditions in the first 3 days following transplantation; radiographic studies showed adequate expansion of the transplanted lobe. Autopsy revealed no problems in the anastomotic sites and signs of difuse bronchopneumonia. In the two cases a flap of pericardial fat was utilized instead of omental flap to protect the bronchial anastomosis and in the first case a telescoping anastomotic technique was done. Both patients received corticoids since the begining and the immunossupression protocol consisted of cyclosporin, prednisone and azathioprine and had no airways complications. In spite of being an initial experience, the authors express their hope in single lung and lobe transplantation for selected terminal lung diseases and in the near future also as an alternative in the surgical treatment of complex congenital cardiac anomalies.
lung transplantation