Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 31 lung transplantations (21 bilateral, 8 single-sided, and 2 retransplantations) performed on 29 patients (17 males, 12 females; mean age 41.4±11.7 years; range 19 to 59 years) in Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Hospital between March 2012 and February 2015.

Results: Of the patients, transplantation indications were bronchiectasis in nine, emphysema in eight, interstitial pulmonary disease in six, sarcoidosis in two, posttransplantation bronchial stenosis in two, and other lung diseases in four (alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, alveolar microlithiasis, destroyed lung due to tuberculosis, silicosis). Median waiting duration of patients in organ transplantation list was 6.3±4.8 months (range 1 to 9 month). Perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation requirement rate was 45.1% (n=14). Ischemia time was 342±79 minutes for single lung transplantation and 535±85.9 minutes for bilateral lung transplantation. No perioperative mortality was observed. Early mortality rate was 25.8% (n=8). The only factor affecting early mortality was perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation requirement (odds ratio=16, %95 confidence interval: 1.6-155, p=0.004). Ischemia time for both single and bilateral lung transplantations was longer in patients with early mortality; however, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.318 and p=0.931, respectively). Of the patients, 18 are still alive who have been under follow-up since median 16.1±11.9 months (62%) (range 3 to 43 month). One-year overall survival rate was 59.2±9.6%, whereas one-year survival rate after exclusion of early mortalities was 78.2±9.6%.

Conclusion: Lung transplantation provides significant survival rates in selected patients.