Successful Emergent Lung Transplantation After Remote Ex Vivo Perfusion Optimization and Transportation of Donor Lungs

A recent clinical trial provided evidence that ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) results in optimized human donor lungs for transplantation. Excellent recipient outcomes were documented after 4 h of normothermic perfusion. We report a clinical case utilizing remote EVLP to assess and improve function of initially otherwise unacceptable injured donor lungs followed by transportation and subsequent bilateral lung transplantation in a patient with virally induced refractory respiratory failure supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This is the first lung transplantation with the application of remote EVLP, wherein the donor lungs were transported from the donor hospital to a center for EVLP and then transported to another hospital for transplantation. It is also the first case of lung transplantation in the United States utilizing EVLP for functional optimization leading to successful transplantation. Organ procurement data, EVLP assessment, and the pre- and postoperative course of the recipient are presented. The available evidence supporting EVLP, the humanitarian and cooperative utilization of lungs otherwise discarded, are discussed.