Donor-Recipient Size Match in Thoracic Transplantation: Back to Fundamentals

The foundation of successful strategy in thoracic transplantation is to overcome multiple barriers to donor and recipient compatibility. Once blood group barriers are surmounted, anatomic considerations become a principal guiding consideration. The available allograft may not be of similar size as the recipient's diseased organ (Figure 1). An undersized allograft is associated with an increased risk of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in both heart1 and lung transplantation,2 making assessment of donor-recipient size match a fundamental issue.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research