Outcome and growth of lobar graft after pediatric living-donor lobar lung transplantation

BACKGROUND: Living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) remains a life-saving option for pedi-atric patients with respiratory failure. However, the long-term survival and post-transplant quality of adult lobar grafts transplanted into children are unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of pediatric LDLLT and post-transplant graft growth. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the prospectively collected clinical data of 25 living-donor lung transplantations performed in 24 pediatric recipients aged <= 17 years. The annual pulmonary function test data and computed tomography scans of 12 recipients, followed up for >5 years without significant complications, were used to evaluate growth in height, graft function, and radiological changes. The Kaplan-Meier method and simple linear regression were performed for analysis. RESULTS: Bilateral lower lobe transplantation was performed in 12 patients, unilateral lower lobe trans-plantation in 12, and bilateral middle lobe transplantation in 1. The median volumetric size matching at transplantation was 142% (range, 54%-457%). The 5-and 10-year overall survival rates were 87.7% and 75.1(sic), respectively. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction occurred in 2 patients. During a median follow-up of 6 years, the median increases in height and vital capacity were 14.4% (range, 0.80%-43.5%) and 58.5% (range, 6.7%-322%), respectively. Graft weight was positively correlated with graft volume (r(2)=0.622, p<0.001) after the graft volume exceeded the original lobar volume in the donor. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that pediatric LDLLT offers satisfactory long-term survival, with the growth of mature adult lobes transplanted into growing children. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023;42:660-668 (c) 2022 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 25 living-donor lung transplantations performed in 24 pediatric recipients aged <= 17 years, evaluating the outcomes of pediatric living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) and post-transplant graft growth. The study shows that pediatric LDLLT offers satisfactory long-term survival, with mature adult lobes transplanted into growing children.