Anesthesia for non-pulmonary surgical intervention following lung transplantation: two cases report

The survival rate after lung transplantation has increased in recent years, leading to an increase in non-pulmonary conditions that require surgical intervention. These post-transplant surgical procedures, however, are associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Intra-abdominal conditions are the most common reasons for surgical intervention. We describe here two patients who underwent abdominal surgery under general anesthesia following lung transplantation. One patient underwent cholecystectomy due to cholecystitis after heart-lung transplantation, and the other patient had an exploratory laparotomy for duodenal ulcer perforation after double lung transplantation. Depending on the type of transplant intervention, the physiology of the transplanted lung must be considered for general anesthesia. Knowledge of underlying conditions and immunosuppressive therapy following transplantation are important for safe and effective general anesthesia.