ABSTRACT
The quality of preservation of donor lungs between explantation and implantation in the recipient is of utmost importance for early and midterm outcomes. Surgical technique, choice of perfusion solution, and duration of ischemic time may all contribute to the quality of organ preservation. Excitingly, with ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), a new modality for lung preservation that potentially raises the bar for graft preservation in the future has been introduced. Faulty donor lung preservation may result in ischemia-reperfusion injury, which in lung transplantation is called primary graft dysfunction (PGD). Because the occurrence of PGD is associated with later onset of chronic rejection, lung graft preservation influences not only short-term but also long-term outcomes in lung transplantation.
