Salvage by volume reduction of chronic allograft rejection in emphysema

We hypothesized that native lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) would improve respiratory function in patients who had previously undergone single lung transplantation for emphysema and who were disabled by obliterative bronchiolitis.

Seven single lung transplant recipients who had advanced bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS grade 3b), absence of active infection, and suitable anatomy underwent native LVRS. Mean time from lung transplantation to LVRS was 39 +/- 17 months.

Mean FEV1 rose from 684 +/- 164 ml before LVRS to 949 +/- 219 ml at 3 months after LVRS, an increment of 40% (p = .002). Mean 6-minute walk rose from 781 +/- 526 ft before LVRS to 887 +/- 539 ft at 3 months after LVRS (p = .031), and mean dyspnea index declined from 3.1 +/- 1.1 before LVRS to 1.6 +/- 0.5 at 3 months after LVRS (p = .010). Mean native lung volume declined from 2956 +/- 648 ml before LVRS to 2541 +/- 621 ml at 3 months after LVRS, but the change was not statistically significant (p = .12). Mean transplant lung volume was little changed before and after LVRS (2099 +/- 411 ml and 1931 +/- 607 ml, respectively, p = NS). There was also a trend toward increased ventilation and perfusion of the native lung and reduction in ventilation and perfusion of the transplant lung, but these changes did not achieve statistical significance. By six months after LVRS, three patients died (two as a consequence respiratory failure), and survivors began to show evidence of deteriorating spirometry.

LVRS is capable of salvaging respiratory function in chronic allograft rejection in emphysema by reducing native lung hyperinflation. These benefits, however, appear to be limited in magnitude and duration by the severity of the underlying allograft dysfunction.