Transplantation of Lungs Procured From a Donor with an Atrioesophageal Fistula

We report the case of procurement and transplantation of lungs from a young donor who died from an atrioesophageal fisula complicating catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Our case illustrates that structural damage to the left atrium is not an absolute contraindication to lung donation. As atrioesophageal fistulas are being increasingly recognized as a rare but often lethal complication of catheter ablation such donors can contribute to the expansion of the donor pool.
Source: The Annals of Thoracic Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Source Type: research