The Eurotransplant Study on Twin Lung Transplants (ESOTWIN): 90 paired single-lung transplants from the same donor

Despite its reduced benefit for a single recipient, the transplantation of two single-lung allografts as opposed to one bilateral lung transplant has the indisputable advantage of maximizing the number of patients that benefit from a single donor.

In the period 1997 to 1999, 90 paired single-lung transplants (SLTx) from 45 donors were performed in 16 lung centers in Eurotransplant, with a complete follow-up of 1 year.

No significant differences between left- and right-lung allograft recipients were observed regarding age, sex, primary disease, number of human leukocyte antigen mismatches, cold ischemic time, and donor-to-recipient cytomegalovirus match. Early posttransplant outcome, as assessed by oxygenation index at 12, 24, and 48 hr, also did not differ significantly, and there were no differences in time to extubation and time spent in the intensive care unit. In the first month, six left- and three right-lung allograft recipients died. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome developed in 5 of 39 left-lung and 10 of 42 right-lung allograft recipients. If the retrieval team was different from the transplanting team, a significantly worse 1-year posttransplant survival rate was seen in patients who underwent left SLTx compared with those who underwent right SLTx (62% vs. 92%, respectively; P=0.04).

More fatal posttransplant complications occur in patients undergoing left SLTx compared with right SLTx. A less optimistic assessment of the left lung by the not-implanting retrieval team is warranted.