Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  1998 Jun;31(6):610-614.

The First Successful Heart-Lung Transplantation in Korea

• Park KY
• Kim JE
• Park CH
• Kim SI
• Kim JC
• Hyun SY
• Shim HJ
• Jung MJ
• Kwon JH
• Shin IG
• Lim CY
• Jung MH

Abstract

The first heart-lung transplantation in Korea was successfully performed. The recipient was a 11 year old girl with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. She had been catheterized at the ages of 4 months, 3 years, 7 years and 10 years, which revealed that neither Fontan nor biventricular repair was feasible. The donor was a traffic accident victim, a 9 year-old boy with the same blood type. The donor was pronounced dead according to the guidelines of the Korean Medical Association's Brain Death Committee. The operation was performed on April 20, 1997. The native heart-lung block was explanted segmentally and donor one was placed above the phrenic nerve using the Arizona technique. After the tracheal anastomosis with single continuous 4-0 prolene, both vena cavae were anastomosed, followed by aortic anastomosis. The graft ischemic time was 145 minutes. The postoperative course was complicated by fever and tracheal stenosis at the anastomosis site. The fever was controlled by anti-tuberculous medications and the tracheal stenosis was relieved by stent (Palmaz 8 mm, 30 mm in length) placement on POD #71. The patient is doing well and is very active in her 7th postoperative month.

Keyword

Heart-lung transplantation; Heart defect; congenital

MeSH Terms

Accidents, Traffic
Arizona
Brain Death
Catheters
Child
Female
Fever
Heart-Lung Transplantation*
Humans
Korea*
Male
Phrenic Nerve
Polypropylenes
Pulmonary Atresia
Stents
Tissue Donors
Tracheal Stenosis
Transplants
Ventricular Septum
Polypropylenes