Objective: To observe the outcome of single-lung transplantation (SLT) for end-stage pulmonary parenchymal diseases in combination with pulmonary hypertension (PH).
Methods: From September 2002 to November 2005, there were 22 lung transplantation recipients, suffering from emphysema (10/22), pulmonary fibrosis (10/22), pneumosilicosis (1/22) and vascular leiomyoma (1/22), and all of them were complicated with pulmonary hypertension to different extent. Operative techniques: 10 patients received left-lung transplantations, and 12 patients received right-lung transplantation. In all the patients echocardiography (ECHO) was performed before transplantation, and arterial blood was collected to determine oxygenation index (PaO(2)/FiO(2)).
Results: The systolic pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa, syst) was monitored by Swan-Gans catheterization one week post-transplantation, and it was found to have decreased significantly [from (50.00+/-13.00) mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa) to (39.5+/-7.36) mm Hg,P<0.05]. Simultaneously, PaO(2)/FiO(2) was improved [from (241.26+/-79.54) mm Hg to (348.23+/-99.31) mm Hg, P<0.05].
Conclusion: Single lung transplantation is an efficient way to deal with end-stage pulmonary parenchymal disease combined with pulmonary hypertension.