Reply: Ensuring pulmonary artery patency in donor–recipient size mismatch: A collaborative challenge

Abstract

Vascular anastomosis during lung transplantation is a critical issue that directly affects postoperative graft function. The use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to establish clear criteria for a possible size mismatch between donor and recipient pulmonary artery (PA) diameters at the time of lung transplantation, as reported by Kumar and colleagues1 in this study, is a method that holds great promise for the future. We introduced 4 new PA vascular anastomosis techniques that could be implemented upon recognition of a size mismatch in PA diameter at the time of lung transplantation; however, we failed to discuss how a surgeon may optimize technique selection.