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Updated: Jan 5, 2026
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Lung Rapid Recovery Procurement Combined with Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion in Controlled Donation after Circulatory Death
Published on: August 15, 2022
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Mortality after lung transplantation: a single-centre cohort analysis
Jo Raskin1, Arno Vanstapel2,3, Eric K Verbeken3
1Department of Respiratory Diseases, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Summary
Lung transplant (LTx) recipients face significant postoperative mortality, with most deaths occurring within three years. Causes evolved over time, with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) and malignancies becoming more prominent.
Area of Science:
- Medicine
- Transplantation
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Postoperative mortality data following lung transplantation (LTx) is limited.
- Understanding causes of death (COD) is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
- Long-term survival after LTx has improved, necessitating updated analyses of mortality patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence, timing, location, and causes of death (COD) in a large, single-center cohort of lung transplant recipients over 25 years.
- To identify trends in COD and their relationship with LTx indications and time post-transplant.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of all primary LTx performed between July 1991 and December 2015.
- Inclusion of 25-year follow-up data for mortality events.
- Analysis of COD, including autopsy findings where available, and patient survival rates.
Main Results:
- Overall, 347 (38.9%) LTx recipients died, with 53.6% dying within 3 years post-LTx.
- Leading causes of death included chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) (27.1%), infection (26.5%), and malignancy (15.6%).
- COD varied by LTx indication and shifted over time, with infection decreasing and CLAD/malignancies increasing in importance.
Conclusions:
- Postoperative mortality after LTx is substantial, with CLAD and infections being major contributors.
- The changing landscape of COD highlights the need for evolving management strategies in long-term LTx survivors.
- This study provides critical insights into LTx mortality patterns, informing future research and clinical practice.
