Contralateral lung transplantation: A left lung implanted in the right thorax

Since the inception of lung transplantation in 1982, it has been standard p ractice to implant donor lungs on the ipsilateral side in the recipient. Th e development of the techniques of lobar and bilateral lobar transplantatio n has shown that lung morphology may adapt to the shape of the thorax. Thus , variations in implantation have become possible. We describe a case of a 30-year-old man with severe bronchiectasis due to ciliary dyskinesis which required a left lower lobectomy at the age of 11 years and a left completio n pneumonectomy 10 years later. His disease progressed and he was listed fo r a right lung transplantation. At the time of transplantation, the donor r ight lung was noted to be edematous and unfit for transplantation. This req uired grafting the donor left lung in the right thorax of the recipient. Fo llow-up at 7 years shows good exercise capacity and excellent functional te sts without evidence of rejection. (C) 2001 by the Society of Thoracic Surg eons.