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Successful lung transplantation for bronchiolitis obliterans after allogeneic marrow transplantation
W Rabitsch1, E Deviatko, F Keil
1Department of Radiology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Background:
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is an established therapy for a variety of hematological diseases with curative potential. However, despite improvements in supportive care, pulmonary complications remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality.
Methods:
We report on a patient who received a double lung transplantation (LTX) for therapy-refractory bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) associated with extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic BMT.
Results:
At present, 38 months after BMT and 23 months after LTX, the patient is in complete hematological and cytogenetic remission and without signs of respiratory distress.
Conclusions:
This case illustrates that lung transplantation could be a therapeutic option in selected patients with BO after allogeneic BMT that is associated with extensive chronic GVHD and who are refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.