Local versus distant lung donor procurement does not influence short-term clinical outcomes

Lung transplants were divided by donor service area (DSA). Local lung transplants had donors and recipients from the DSA and distant lung transplants had donors and recipients from different DSAs. The rate of major complication, length of hospital stay, and 1-year survival were similar between groups. Distant lung transplant was associated with higher overall cost and local lung transplant was more likely to be performed during the daytime. The new lung allocation policy, with higher proportion of distant lung transplants, is likely to incur greater costs but provide similar outcomes.