Contemporary Issues in Lung Transplant Allocation Practices

AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss the current state of donor lung allocation in the United States and future opportunities to increase the efficiency of donor lung allocation.Recent FindingsThe current donor lung allocation system prioritizes clinical acuity by the use of the lung allocation score (LAS) which has reduced waitlist mortality since its implementation in 2005. Access to donor lungs can be further improved through policy changes using broader geographic sharing and developing new technology such as ex vivo lung perfusion to recover marginal donor lungs.SummaryThe number of lung transplants in the US continues to increase annually. However, the demand for donor lungs continues to be outpaced by an ever-growing waitlist. Efficient allocation can be achieved through improved allocation policies and new technology.
Source: Current Transplantation Reports - Category: Transplant Surgery Source Type: research