Predictors, frequency, and indications for cardiopulmonary bypass during lung transplantation in adults

The records for 162 lung transplantations performed in 158 patients were reviewed with regard to the predictors for, frequency of, and indications for using cardiopulmonary bypass during the procedure. There were a total of 8 en bloc double-lung transplantations, 83 single-lung transplantations, and 71 bilateral single-lung transplantations. Bypass was used electively for all double en bloc and three of the bilateral sequential lung transplantation procedures and for 26 unilateral lung replacement procedures in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Of the remaining patients, 1 single-lung transplant recipient required bypass for correction of a surgical mishap and 18 bilateral single-lung recipients required bypass during replacement of the second lung. No preoperative predictors for the need of bypass could be identified. Among the bilateral sequential lung recipients, the use of bypass did not seem to adversely affect outcome, as expressed in terms of the time until extubation, the time spent in the intensive care unit, and the time required to reach a room air oxygen tension greater than 60 mm Hg.