Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026
05:56
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Diagnostic Strategies and Biomarker Development for Comprehensive Lung Function Analysis
Published on: August 9, 2024
2.5K
Urgent lung allocation system in the Scandiatransplant countries
Henrik Auråen1, Hans Henrik L Schultz2, Pekka Hämmäinen3
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Summary
The Scandiatransplant urgent lung allocation system (ScULAS) rapidly allocated organs to critically ill patients but those listed as urgent had poorer short-term graft survival. This lung transplant allocation system needs further refinement.
Area of Science:
- Organ transplantation
- Public health policy
- Critical care medicine
Background:
- Donor organ scarcity necessitates optimal allocation systems globally.
- Lung transplantation in Scandiatransplant countries uses national allocation.
- The Scandiatransplant urgent lung allocation system (ScULAS) was implemented in 2009 to prioritize critically ill patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze characteristics and outcomes of patients listed as urgent under ScULAS.
- To evaluate changes post-ScULAS implementation.
- To describe ScULAS utilization by member centers.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study included all lung transplant candidates 5 years before and after ScULAS implementation.
- Data from 5 Scandiatransplant centers were analyzed.
Main Results:
- 8.3% of listed patients received urgent status, with 81% transplanted within 4 weeks.
- Urgent patients were younger, had more suppurative lung disease, and were more often on life support.
- Urgent patients experienced inferior 30- and 90-day post-transplant graft survival.
Conclusions:
- ScULAS expedited organ allocation for urgent patients.
- Urgent patients, often younger with suppurative lung disease, had worse short-term outcomes.
- Inferior outcomes in urgent patients may be linked to pre-transplant life support status.
Related Concept Videos
01:47Lung Capacity
56.3K
The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.
56.3K
01:13Pleura of the Lungs
7.4K
The lungs are nestled in a cavity, shielded by the pleura. The pleura, a form of serous membrane, wraps around each lung. This membrane arrangement consists of two layers: the visceral and parietal pleurae. The visceral pleura lines the surface of the lungIn contrast, the parietal pleura is the outer layer and contacts to the thoracic wall, the mediastinum, and the diaphragm. The hilum is the point of connection between the visceral and parietal layers. The space between the parietal and...
7.4K
01:17Gross Anatomy of the Lungs
4.7K
The lungs are a pair of vital organs connected to the trachea via the left and right bronchi. The base of these organs meets the dome-shaped muscle known as the diaphragm. Encased by the pleurae, the lungs contact the mediastinum. The right lung is shorter yet wider, and has a larger volume than the left lung. The left lung has an indentation known as the cardiac notch. The superior region of the lungs is referred to as the apex, whereas the base is the lower region near the diaphragm. The...
4.7K
02:42Half-life of a Reaction
39.1K
The half-life of a reaction (t1/2) is the time required for one-half of a given amount of reactant to be consumed. In each succeeding half-life, half of the remaining concentration of the reactant is consumed. For example, during the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, during the first half-life (from 0.00 hours to 6.00 hours), the concentration of H2O2 decreases from 1.000 M to 0.500 M. During the second half-life (from 6.00 hours to 12.00 hours), the concentration decreases from 0.500 M to...
39.1K
01:05Breathing
64.5K
The process of breathing, inhaling and exhaling, involves the coordinated movement of the chest wall, the lungs, and the muscles that move them. Two muscle groups with important roles in breathing are the diaphragm, located directly below the lungs, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and creating more room for the lungs to expand. When the intercostal muscles contract, the ribs...
64.5K
01:20Gas Exchange and Transport
77.0K
Gas exchange, the intake of molecular oxygen (O2) from the environment and the outflow of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment, is necessary for cellular function. Gas exchange during respiration occurs largely via the movement of gas molecules along pressure gradients. Gas travels from areas of higher partial pressure to areas of lower partial pressure. In mammals, gas exchange occurs in the alveoli of the lungs, which are adjacent to capillaries and share a membrane with them.
77.0K