Pulmonary thromboembolectomy of donor lungs prior to lung transplantation

Successful bilateral single-lung transplantation was performed after pulmon ary thromboembolectomy of the donor lungs. The donor lungs were not thought to contain large amounts of pulmonary thromboemboli because they satisfied all the donor selection criteria. This case reinforces the need of not onl y meticulous inspection of the donor lungs prior to implantation but also t he productive use of available donor organs. (C) 1999 by The Society of Tho racic Surgeons.