Cadaveric Lung Transplant

Single lung transplant:

An incision is made on the side of the chest. If the patient’s blood pressure and oxygen saturation fall while the blood vessels to the lung on that side are temporarily clamped, tubes will be inserted to connect to the heart-lung machine. This will support the patient’s circulation until the new lung is ready to take over. The patient’s old lung is then removed and the new lung is sewn in, connecting the blood vessels to and from the lung (the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein) and the main airway (bronchus). At the end of the operation, the ribs are brought back together and the incision is closed with layers of stitches.

A double lung transplant is similar to having a single lung transplant done on both sides. An incision is made across the middle of the chest. The breast bone is divided and both chest cavities are entered between the ribs. The heart-lung machine may be used to support the circulation during the operation. The lung on one side is removed and the new lung sewn in place. The opposite lung is then removed and the second new lung sewn in place. At the end of the operation the breast bone is wired together, the ribs are brought back together and the incision is closed in layers with stitches.

An incision is made down the middle of the patient’s chest. Tubes are placed to connect the patient to the heart-lung machine, which will support the patient’s circulation until the new heart is ready to take over. When the donor heart-lung block has arrived, the transplant surgeons will remove the patient’s old heart and lungs, leaving a "cuff" of the atrium (the upper chamber of the heart) and the end of the main airway, onto which the new heart will be sewn. The recipient’s aorta (the main blood vessel) is sewn onto the aorta of the donor heart. At the end of the operation the breast bone is wired together and the incision is closed with layers of stitches.