DOUBLE-LUNG TRANSPLANTATION FOR ADULT-RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS-SYNDROME AFTER RECOMBINANT INTERLEUKIN-2

Patients suffering from acute respiratory failure are considered poor candidates for lung transplantation (LT). We report a successful doubl e lung transplantation performed in a patient with adult respiratory d istress syndrome (ARDS). The 32-year-old woman received recombinant in terleukin 2 (rIL-2) three months after an autologous bone marrow trans plant for acute myelogenic leukemia as consolidation treatment. After four days of treatment with rIL-2, she developed ARDS which worsened o ver a three-week period, despite treatment. Lung transplantation was c arried out as ultimate treatment. The postoperative course was unevent ful. The patient is alive and in a good condition 11 months after LT. This case demonstrates the feasibility of LT in selected patients with ARDS. However, this case is exceptional since lung grafts should be u tilized preferably for evaluated and accepted patients in transplant p rograms.