Lung Transplantation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Caused by Influenza Pneumonia

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening disease with a high mortality rate. Although many therapeutic trials have been performed for improving the mortality of severe ARDS, limited strategies have demonstrated better outcomes. Recently, advanced rescue therapies such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) made it possible to consider lung transplantation (LTPL) in patients with ARDS, but data is insufficient. We report a 62-year-old man who underwent LTPL due to ARDS with no underlying lung disease. He was admitted to the hospital due to influenza A pneumonia-induced ARDS. Although he was supported by ECMO, he progressively deteriorated. We judged that his lungs were irreversibly damaged and decided he needed to undergo LTPL. Finally, bilateral sequential double-lung transplantation was successfully performed. He has since been alive for three years. Conclusively, we demonstrate that LTPL can be a therapeutic option in patients with severe ARDS refractory to conventional therapies.

Keywords

• extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
• influenza, human
• lung transplantation
• respiratory distress syndrome, adult