Differential lung ventilation after single-lung transplantation for emphysema.

OBJECTIVE: To review outcome and cardiovascular and respiratory function after initiation of differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation in patients who have had a single-lung transplant for end-stage emphysema. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Cardiothoracic tertiary referral center. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen patients who had differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation, of a total of 132 patients who had a single-lung transplant for end-stage emphysema between 1988 and the end of 2000. INTERVENTIONS: None. measurements and main results: Thirteen patients had differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation; 7 survived to 1 year after transplant. There was a highly significant (p = 0.0006) improvement in mean PaO(2) from 8.23 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.15 to 10.3) to 16.6 (95% CI, 12.84 to 20.45) 1 hour after start of differential lung ventilation. The average ratio of estimated dynamic compliance in the native lung compared with the transplanted (donor) lung was 2.69 (95% CI, 1.75 to 3.62). CONCLUSION: In addition to previous case reports, this series shows that differential lung ventilation is an appropriate treatment for acute severe native lung hyperinflation. A difference in estimated effective dynamic compliance of > or = 2.69 between native and transplanted lung may require differential lung ventilation.