We report metachronous single-lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis after contralateral pneumonectomy. Kyphoscoliosis and mediastinal shift required careful donor-lung sizing with computed tomography and was not dependent on typical parameters. Severe reperfusion injury was treated with nitric oxide, C1-esterase inhibitor, and continuous venovenous hemodialysis. The patient was extubated on the fifth postoperative day and is alive and well. We conclude that single-lung transplantation after contralateral pneumonectomy for patients with cystic fibrosis and an asymmetric chest and evident lung volume mismatch may be an acceptable functional therapeutic option. (C) 1997 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Because of the paucity of literature reports about cardiac operations in renal-transplant patients we performed a retrospective study encompassing all such patients operated upon in our institution in 1993 and 1994. During this time 5 renal transplant patients underwent cardiac surgical procedures between 1 and 9 years after transplantation: in 4 patients coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was carried out and in one patient aortic valve replacement. We analyzed pre-, peri-, and postoperative data. Late results were obtained by questionnaire from the patients' primary physicians. Short- and long-term results were excellent. Mortality was 0%. At late follow-up (8-23 months) all patients were in NYHA class II or better. Postoperatively all patients experienced a clear improvement of their cardiac symptoms. None of the transplanted kidneys deteriorated. One patient who had to undergo intermittent hemodialysis preoperatively improved so much that she did not require any dialysis postoperatively. Although the total number of patients in this study is limited we believe it can be stated that renal transplant patients can undergo cardiac operations with generally good results.