Emergent lung retransplantation after discovery of two primary malignancies in the donor

Transplantation. 2001 Jun 27;71(12):1859-62. doi: 10.1097/00007890-200106270-00026.

Abstract

A 50-year-old woman underwent single lung transplantation for advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Shortly after the procedure, it was discovered that the donor suffered from both a renal cell carcinoma and a spindle-cell sarcoma of the ascending aorta, which had metastasized to the spleen. The patient was emergently listed for a retransplantation and underwent bilateral lung transplantation after a new donor became available 4 days after the initial transplantation procedure. After 24 months, the patient is without evidence of malignancy. This case illustrates the role of immediate retransplantation for patients who have inadvertently received thoracic organs from donors harboring occult malignancies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aortic Diseases / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology
  • Emergency Medical Services*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Transplantation*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology
  • Reoperation
  • Sarcoma / pathology
  • Sarcoma / secondary
  • Splenic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Splenic Neoplasms / secondary
  • Tissue Donors*