Direct Bronchial Artery Revascularization Research Articles

Airway complications after lung transplantation can be avoided without bronchial artery revascularization

The major cause of death following lung transplantation in the beginning after the first human lung transplantation in 1963 was airway dehiscence, representing a major obstacle to widespread use of this treatment option. Lung transplantation is unique among all solid organ transplantations, since systemic arterial blood supply is not restored during engraftment. In the eighties and thereafter the problem of airway healing after lung transplantation was the main focus of research. This review focuses on the incidence of airway anastomotic complications after lung transplantation and delineates potential risk factors. Refinements in lung preservation and surgical technique have reduced the incidence of airway complications. Reflecting these changes, the contemporary rate of anastomotic lesions following lung transplantation has dropped from 80% before 1983 to less than 3% with a range of 2.6-23.8%. Small clinical series of lung transplantation with direct bronchial artery revascularization have reported promising early results. However, direct bronchial artery revascularization has been considered a difficult and unreliable method to be used clinically, as it prolongs the operation and ischemic time, increases risk of bleeding, and because of the good results reported from transplants without bronchial artery revascularization. At the present time (nearly) all transplant centers perform the airway anastomosis without bronchial artery revascularization. Bronchial anastomotic complications can be avoided by use of a standardized surgical technique which respects the fact that the donor bronchus is poorly vascularized. Prevention of fungal infections with aggressive antifungal treatment may play an important additive role.

Bronchial artery revascularization in lung transplantation: techniques, experience, and outcomes

Lung transplantation (LTX) is routinely performed ignoring the bronchial arteries. In this article, we review the published world experience, including our own, of LTX with direct bronchial artery revascularization (BAR) and describe the anatomy of the bronchial arteries and our surgical technique. The published experience of LTX with BAR consists of only a few small single-institution series, all with good success rates and outcomes. The bronchial artery anatomy will allow identification of useful arteries for BAR in most donors and double LTX (DLTX) with BAR is almost always possible. For single LTX (SLTX), BAR is feasible in about 50%. The surgical techniques for DLTX and SLTX with BAR has been well described. Our own combined Copenhagen and Cleveland experience, all BAR procedures performed or supervised by G.B.P., include a total of 131 LTX with BAR. BAR was performed with a success rate of over 90%, DLTX 95%. Success was uniformly associated with normal airway healing and the overall Copenhagen 5 and 10-year survival for DLTX with BAR was superior to that reported by other institutions after sequential bilateral lung transplantation. LTX with BAR is feasible, successful and well tolerated. Success ensures normal airway healing. The Copenhagen experience suggests possible long-term survival benefit inviting to a multicenter study to define the role of BAR in LTX.

Long-term outcome of lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis ? Danish results

Over the last decades improvements in medical therapies have delayed the progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, lung disease is still the most common cause of premature death, and lung transplantation today is the only treatment for end-stage lung disease in patients with CF. We present a retrospective review of the outcome of CF patients transplanted in Denmark since start of the national lung transplantation programme in 1992. In a 10-year period, 47 patients with CF were listed for lung transplantation; 29 patients underwent transplantation and 18 patients died while waiting for donor organs. Eleven patients received en block double lung transplantation with direct bronchial artery revascularization and 18 patients received bilateral sequential lung transplantation. Median age at transplantation was 29 years (range 11-50). The perioperative mortality (< or =30 days) was 3.5% (1/29 patients). Actuarial survival of transplanted patients at 1, 3, 5 and 8 years was 89, 80, 80 and 70%, respectively. Actuarial survival of non-transplanted patients on the waiting list at 1 and 2 years was 28 and 11% (P<0.0001). Causes of death of transplanted patients were: respiratory failure on day 7 (n=1), bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (n=2), infection (Cytomegalovirus, Aspergillus fumigatus) (n=2), bronchial anastomosis dehiscence (n=1). Pulmonary function (FEV1% predicted) improved from median 20% (range 13-31) pre-transplant to 71% (range 19-118) after 5 years (P<0.0001). Renal function (51Cr-EDTA clearance) decreased from median 97 ml/min (range 45-190) pre-transplant to 32 ml/min (range 8-84) 6 months after transplantation (P<0.001). Three patients (11%) received dialysis post-transplant of whom two underwent kidney transplantation. Immunosuppressive induction therapy with rabbit-antithymocyte-globulin compared to daclizumab resulted in fewer treatments for acute rejection within the first 3 months post-transplant (P=0.05 at 5-8 weeks). Burkholderia multivorans was present in three patients pre-transplant with satisfying long-term outcome in one patient. Lung transplantation is a well-established life-extending treatment for patients with CF and end-stage lung disease. The operative mortality is low and CF patients have a significant early survival benefit after lung transplantation. Satisfying long-term results can be achieved in this young and severely ill group of patients.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Angiography in Patency Evaluation of Bronchial Artery Revascularization Grafts

In this report we present our experience of non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MR) angiography and selective catheter angiography in assessing the patency of bronchial artery revascularization grafts after an en bloc double-lung and heart-lung transplantation. We studied 8 patients who had undergone pulmonary transplantation with direct bronchial artery revascularization. Catheter angiography was performed 10 days to 63 months postoperatively. MR angiography was performed within 24 h of the catheter procedure and the results were compared with the findings from catheter angiography. Catheter angiography showed the bronchial revascularization graft to be patent in 6 patients and occluded in 2. At MR angiography, the patency of bronchial artery revascularization grafts was reliably identified in 7 of the 8 patients. One patient had inadequate image quality because of void artefacts caused by haemostatic clips. It is concluded that MR angiography is a reliable method for assessing the patency of bronchial artery revascularization grafts.

Bronchial Artery Revascularization Improves Tracheal Anastomotic Healing after Lung Transplantation

The study aimed to clarify the role of direct bronchial artery revascularization (BAR) after en bloc double-lung (DLT) and heart-lung transplantation (HLT). Group I comprised eight patients with en bloc DLT or HLT and successful BAR, while group II included 14 DLT or HLT cases without BAR or with failed BAR. From these groups, 2 subgroups were extracted: group III, including 6 cases of en bloc DLT with successful BAR and group IV 10 HLT cases without or with failed BAR. Airway healing was evaluated at bronchoscopy and patency of BAR with angiography. Pulmonary viral, bacterial and fungal infections, rejections and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) were registered. Tracheal healing at 2 weeks and 3 months was better in group I than in group II (p = 0.003 and p = 0.05, respectively). Compared with group IV, tracheal anastomotic healing at 2 weeks was better in group III (p = 0.007) and tended to be better also after 3 months (p = 0.07). The incidence of infections, rejection or BOS did not differ between groups I and II. BAR thus improved healing of tracheal anastomosis.

Current status of airway management in lung transplant patients

Airway complications are the cause of significant morbidity and mortality in lung transplant recipients. Problems with airway healing were the major obstruction to successful lung transplantation, but these problems have been largely overcome by improved management of the pulmonary donor, the bronchial anastomosis, and early postoperative care. Although the etiology of these complications appears to be related to the lack of reestablishment of the systemic bronchial blood supply, airway complications do not appear to be less frequent with the use of more complex procedures to provide direct bronchial artery revascularization, or with use of indirect techniques to provide neovascularization. Advances in endobronchial therapeutics successfully manage the majority of these airway complications.

Medium-term patency and anatomic changes after direct bronchial artery revascularization in lung and heart-lung transplantation with the internal thoracic artery conduit

Objective: Our purpose was to study the 2-year patency of direct bronchial artery revascularization in lung transplantation. We wanted to clarify whether the revascularized bronchial artery system is functional after 2 years, whether bronchial artery vascularity changes with time, and whether posttransplantation bronchial artery disease is arteriographically evident after 2 years. Methods: Bronchial artery revascularization is performed by anastomosing the internal thoracic artery to as many bronchial artery orifices in the donor descending aorta as possible. Twenty-three patients surviving 2 years or more have had internal thoracic artery-bronchial arteriography performed 1 month and 2 years after transplantation. One-month and 2-year arteriograms have been compared. Results: Two-year patency of the internal thoracic artery conduit was 100%. The appearance of the bronchial arteries was unchanged after 2 years in 11 patients. A unilateral or bilateral increase in vascularity was found in two and seven patients, respectively. In three patients new vessels, not visible on the first arteriogram, had appeared. In four patients one or more small vessels visible on the first arteriogram had disappeared on the second arteriogram. We have found no arteriographic signs of bronchial artery disease, such as stenosis of the bronchial arteries, and no arteriographic evidence of arteriosclerotic disease in the internal thoracic artery. Conclusion: The internal thoracic artery is an excellent conduit for bronchial artery revascularization, with a 2-year patency of 100% in 23 patients. Only minor changes in the bronchial arteriograms have been found. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1997;114:326-31)

Routine immediate direct bronchial artery revascularization for single-lung transplantation

Ischemia of the donor airway remains a significant cause of morbidity after single-lung transplantation; serious manifestations may occur early (anastomotic dehiscence) or late (stricture). Direct, immediate revascutarization of the donor bronchial arteries, using the recipient internal thoracic artery, was performed in 10 consecutive recipients of single-lung transplants for whom we procured the organs. Mean recipient age was 52.6 years (range, 43 to 59 years); 6 were male and 4 female. Recipient diagnoses were emphysema (6), obliterative bronchiolitis (2), pulmonary fibrosis (1), and primary pulmonary hypertension (1). Bronchial artery revascularization initially prolonged the ischemic time by only 15 to 20 minutes; this improved with experience. There was one early death and two late deaths in the series. Internal thoracic arteriography was performed 7 to 10 days postoperatively in all 9 surviving patients. There was excellent perfusion of the donor bronchial arteries in 7 of these 9 patients. Bronchoscopy was performed when clinically indicated. No patient had early or late airway healing complications at a median follow-up of 13 months (range, 6 to 16 months). We conclude that direct, immediate bronchial artery revascularization is feasible on a routine basis for single-lung transplantation, and airway healing has been excellent.

Successful double-lung transplantation with direct bronchial artery revascularization

Double-lung transplantation with tracheal anastomosis has previously resulted in unacceptable ischemic complications of airway healing. Three patients underwent double-lung transplantation at our institution in 1986 and 1987, and 2 of these required later retransplantation because of airway complications. Recently, we began to perform direct revascularization of the bronchial arteries at their origin on the donor descending thoracic aorta, using recipient internal thoracic artery. Eight patients (2 male and 6 female patients; ages, 10–51 years) underwent nine double-lung transplantations with revascularization. The preoperative diagnoses in these patients were cystic fibrosis (2 patients), atrial septal defect and Eisenmenger's syndrome (1 patient), lymphangioleiomyomatosis (1 patient), bronchiectasis (1 patient), α 1-antitrypsin deficiency (1 patient), and primary pulmonary hypertension (2 patients); 1 underwent retransplantation because of pulmonary emboli. There have been no significant airway complications in any patient. Two patients died early postoperatively, 1 of early pulmonary dysfunction (at 1 day postoperatively) and 1 of subarachnoid hemorrhage (at 16 days postoperatively; tracheal healing was excellent in this patient). Follow-up in the remaining 6 patients ranged from 5 to 9 months. Internal thoracic artery angiography was performed on seven grafts, which documented patency of the internal thoracic artery in all seven and bronchial artery perfusion in six. Bronchoscopic examinations have demonstrated excellent airway healing in all six of these grafts, with no dehiscence, granulation, or narrowing of the trachea or distal bronchi. Ulceration of the tracheal anastomosis developed anteriorly in the remaining patient, which has resolved. We conclude that double-lung transplantation is an acceptable therapeutic approach when combined with bronchial artery revascularization, and early airway healing has been excellent. This approach allows simultaneous bilateral lung transplantation with immediate revascularization of the airways to both lungs.