Lung Transplant for the Critical Care Nurse

Lung transplantation is an established treatment of select patients with end-stage pulmonary disease. Lung transplantation should be considered for patients with end-stage pulmonary disease who have an expected 2-year survival of less than 50% without lung transplant and an expected 5-year survival of greater than 80% after transplant. This article reviews routine postsurgical intensive care unit management, along with management of complications such as acute kidney injury, atrial arrhythmias, deep vein thrombosis, primary graft dysfunction, hyperammonemia syndrome, and thrombocytopenia. Finally, management of long-term issues, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and bronchial stenosis, is discussed.