The emerging role of regulatory T cells following lung transplantation.

Regulatory T cells (Treg) have proven to be a powerful immunologic force in nearly every organ system and hold therapeutic potential for a wide range of diseases. Insights gained from non-transplant pathologies, such as infection, cancer, and autoimmunity, are now being translated to the field of solid organ transplantation, particularly for livers and kidneys. Recent insights from animal models of lung transplantation have established that Tregs play a vital role in suppressing rejection and facilitating tolerance of lung allografts, and such discoveries are being validated in human studies and preclinical trials. Given that long-term outcomes following lung transplantation remain profoundly limited by chronic rejection, Treg therapy holds the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and should be aggressively investigated.

Utilizing computed tomography volumetry for size matching prior to lung transplantation: a case series.

Background: Appropriate size matching between donor and recipient is critical for successful pulmonary transplantation. Although surrogate measurements such as height and gender are often utilized to approximate predicted lung volume, these methods provide only a gross estimation with wide variability and poor predictive value. Case Description: A single center exploratory study was conducted in which four patients underwent lung transplantation (LT) with pre-operative computed tomography (CT) volumetry obtained in both the donor and recipient to facilitate decision making regarding organ size and suitability. In four cases in which CT volumetry was used, the lung volumes calculated using surrogate measurements significantly overestimated both donor and recipient lung volumes quantified by CT volumetric analysis. All recipients underwent successful LT without necessary graft downsizing. Conclusions: This is an initial report of prospectively utilizing CT volumetry as an adjunct to decision-making regarding suitability of donor lungs. In these cases, CT volumetry facilitated the confident acceptance of donor lungs that were initially predicted to be oversized based on other clinical measures.

Incidentally Detected Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Hilar Lymph Nodes at the Time of Lung Transplantation: A Case Report.

A 68-year-old man with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis underwent bilateral lung transplantation. Histopathologic examination of hilar lymph nodes in the explanted lungs showed effacement of normal nodal architecture by the proliferation of small lymphocytes, consistent with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL). Unexpectedly discovered malignancies at the time of lung transplantation is uncommon, especially in the lymph nodes. The clinical management was challenging because of attempts to balance treatment of CLL and immunosuppressive treatment to prevent graft rejection. Here, we report a case of incidentally detected CLL in hilar lymph nodes with explanted lungs and review the relevant literature.

The role of small or single-institution prospective studies in thoracic research.

Interventional studies are designed specifically to test the impact of a treatment or management strategy on an outcome of interest. In this article, we will highlight two viewpoints regarding the role of small or single-institution prospective interventional studies within the field of thoracic surgery: first, that these studies are beneficial and can positively impact the field, and second, that these studies can have such significant limitations that they may have no meaningful impact. We will also review elements that can make for successful design and execution of small prospective interventional studies.