Early severe digestive complications after lung transplantation.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe and to analyze early severe digestive complications (ESDC) after lung transplantation (LT) in our center. METHODS A retrospective study included 351 patients, who underwent LT without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) at our center between March 1988 and December 2009. There were 86 double LTs and 265 single LTs. ESDCs were defined as complications (1) occurring during the first 30 days after transplantation or during initial hospitalization if longer; (2) involving the gastrointestinal tract; and (3) jeopardizing survival or requiring invasive therapeutic procedure. Patients' characteristics, associated risk factors, and influence of ESDC on early outcome have been analyzed. RESULTS During the first 30 days after LT or initial hospitalization if longer, 26 ESDCs occurred in 26 patients (rate 7.4%, sex ratio M/F 66%, mean age 56 ± 6 years). This included 10 acute cholecystitis (38%), four angiocholitis (15%), three perforated gastroduodenal ulcers (11%), three digestive perforations (11%), two intestinal occlusions (8%), two mesenteric ischemia (8%), and two acute pancreatitis (8%). ESDC occurred after a mean postoperative follow-up of 14 days (5-46), required emergency surgical treatment in 20 cases (77%), significantly prolonged the mean duration of hospitalization (96 days with ESDC vs 55 days without ESDC, p < 0.0001), and was responsible for death in five cases (19%). Surgical treatment included cholecystectomy (n = 11), bowel resection (n = 3), ulcer surgery (n = 2), subtotal colectomy (n = 2), Hartmann procedure (n = 1), and open coelioscopy (n = 1). Age and bilateral LT were found to be significant risk factors for ESDC in both uni- and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION ESDC occurred in 7.4% of patients after LT without CPB, and was responsible for longer in-hospital stay. Relevant risk factors included older age and bilateral LT, interfering with current debate regarding recipients' selection and procedure's choice.