Temple researchers shed new light on double-lung transplants

In the largest retrospective study to date using data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database for adult double-lung transplants, Temple University School of Medicine researchers have shown that there is no statistically significant difference between rejection and mortality rates among double-lung transplant recipients when their transplanted organs came from donors whose blood-type was identical or compatible to their own.

“The study confirms what most of us in the transplant surgical community have recognized for some time based on our clinical experience,” said senior author Yoshiya Toyoda, MD, PhD, Vice Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Surgical Director Heart and Lung Transplantation at Temple University Hospital (TUH), in Philadelphia. Dr. Toyoda, who has performed more than 300 double-lung transplantations, also serves as Surgical Director of Mechanical Circulatory Support at TUH.

Toyoda and his colleagues found that the use of lungs from donors whose blood type was compatible, but not identical, to the recipient's was not associated with short- or long-term mortality and resulted in equivalent post-transplant lung function. “Using lungs from carefully selected blood-type compatible donors can result in excellent outcomes for double-lung transplant recipients,” said Dr. Toyoda.

Dr. Toyoda noted that, given the scarcity of available organs, the ability of surgeons to expand the pool of potential donated organs to include lungs from blood-type compatible donors benefits patients awaiting organs.

Other authors on the Temple study were Sharven Taghavi, MD, Senthil Jayarajan, and T. Sloane Guy, MD.

About Temple Health

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System and by Temple University School of Medicine. Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $1.4 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System consists of Temple University Hospital (TUH), ranked among the “Best Hospitals” in the region by U.S. News & World Report; TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; Fox Chase Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Jeanes Hospital, a community-based hospital offering medical, surgical and emergency services; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; and Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices. TUHS is affiliated with Temple University School of Medicine.

Temple University School of Medicine (TUSM), established in 1901, is one of the nation's leading medical schools. Each year, the School of Medicine educates approximately 840 medical students and 140 graduate students. Based on its level of funding from the National Institutes of Health, Temple University School of Medicine is the second-highest ranked medical school in Philadelphia and the third-highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to U.S. News & World Report, TUSM is among the top 10 most applied-to medical schools in the nation.