Postoperative Complications in Living Donors for Lung Transplantation

Living donor lobar lung transplantation is a life-saving procedure for critically ill patients. This requires 2 healthy donors exposed to risks and without medical benefit. Therefore, the donor's safety and minimal postoperative complications are crucial. This study aimed to investigate the short-term outcomes and identify the risk factors affecting these outcomes.

The data of 175 living donors enrolled between 1998 and 2022 were analyzed. Donors were divided into era 1 (1998-2009) and era 2 (2010-2022).

The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 39%, of which 7% were major complications. Donors who underwent surgery on the right side had a higher incidence of delayed pulmonary fistulae (P = 0.01) and elevated liver enzyme levels (P = 0.028). Living donor surgery on the right side (P = 0.01), era 2 (P = 0.01), and the need for plasty (P = 0.04) were predictors of postoperative complications.

Updated data on complications and their correlation with postoperative quality of life from this study could aid in the selection of potential donors and facilitate informed consent.