The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Sep 2001
Comparative StudySingle vs bilateral, sequential lung transplantation for end-stage emphysema: influence of recipient age on survival and secondary end-points.
The appropriate age to perform bilateral, sequential lung transplants (BSLT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial. Although single lung transplant (SLT) offers an advantage in terms of organ availability, the long-term survival may not warrant this strategy in all age groups. ⋯ Single lung transplant may offer acceptable early survival for patients with end-stage respiratory failure. However, long-term survival data favors BSLT in recipients until approximately age 60 years. These data suggest that a BSLT approach offers a significant survival advantage to recipients younger than 60 years of age.