Pulmonary Embolism in Donor Lungs—Incidence and Management

Abstract

In efforts to decrease the mortality on the waiting list for lung transplantation, alternatives to increase the donor pool have been explored. Caution must be used when accepting donor lungs with pulmonary embolism (PE), as prior evidence has shown mixed results after transplantation of donor lungs with PE. However, the mere diagnosis of PE on imaging should not be the sole reason for the exclusion of these donors for transplant, and they should be reviewed as any other donor. A comprehensive evaluation should be performed for every donor, with a special focus on abnormalities of gas exchange and gross pathologic characteristics during procurement.