The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2022
Near-infrared fluorescence imaging during ex vivo lung perfusion: Noninvasive real-time evaluation of regional lung perfusion and edema.
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is an excellent platform to evaluate donor lung function before transplantation, but novel methods are needed to accurately confirm transplant quality. Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) has been used in various clinical perioperative applications to evaluate tissue perfusion. We used NIRF imaging during pig and human EVLP to evaluate donor lung perfusion and edema. ⋯ NIRF imaging enables noninvasive real-time evaluation of lung perfusion and edema during EVLP. Prospective clinical studies are needed to determine the role of NIRF imaging in donor lung assessment and selection, and prediction of posttransplant outcomes.