Release date: 2009-02-20
To enhance the efficiency of organ utilization, Chinese researchers conducted a study exploring the possibility of transplanting a single donor's heart and lungs to different recipients. The team successfully retrieved three hearts and two lungs using in situ lavage and one-piece excision techniques. These organs were then transplanted into six patients—three with advanced heart disease and three with severe lung disease. The donor was kept on mechanical ventilation before the procedure. The thoracic cavity was opened, and perfusion tubes were inserted into the aorta and pulmonary artery. A HTK solution was used for heart perfusion, while a modified raffinose-based low-potassium dextran solution was administered through the pulmonary artery to flush out the lungs. The heart and lungs were then removed as a single unit.
Before transplantation, the recipients underwent retrograde lavage of the heart and lungs via the superior and inferior pulmonary veins or through the aortic root and vena cava sinus. For unilateral lung transplants, the left and right lungs were separated. Among the three lung recipients, one received a left lung transplant, and two underwent sequential double lung transplants without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Three patients received orthotopic heart transplants with double-venous anastomosis.
Post-surgery, one patient who had a left lung transplant recovered well. Another who underwent double lung transplant experienced a right upper lobe vein embolism and required reoperation on the ninth day, after which the affected lobe was removed and the patient was discharged. A third lung recipient faced bronchial anastomotic stenosis and a pulmonary infection, which were managed with supportive care before discharge. However, this patient later died from a severe infection seven months post-transplant. One heart transplant recipient developed early kidney failure but recovered after hemodialysis treatment. All three heart transplant patients showed good long-term quality of life, with their heart function improving to class I.
Based on these results, the research team concluded that it is both feasible and effective to transplant the heart and lungs from a single donor to multiple recipients, thereby maximizing the use of available organs. ——Midi Medical Network
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