Objective: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for lung transplantation (LTx) has been reported previously. This study reports the authors' experience of planned and unplanned use of cardiopulmonary bypass for LTx.
Design: Case series.
Setting: A university teaching hospital.
Participants: Patients undergoing LTx.
Interventions: A retrospective analysis of the charts of all patients having undergone LTx over the last 10 years.
Measurements and main results: Among 140 LTx, 23 (16%) were performed with the use of CPB. CPB was planned in 11 cases and unplanned in the 12 other cases. The use of CPB is associated with a longer period of postoperative mechanical ventilation, more pulmonary edema, more blood transfusion requirement, and an increase in postoperative mortality at 48 hours and 1 month. Surgical difficulties related to the dissection of the native left lung and acute right ventricular failure are the main reasons for unscheduled use of CPB.
Conclusion: Scheduled and unscheduled CPB for LTx are associated with an increased mortality at 1 month and 1 year.