Management of Primary Graft Dysfunction: Lung Transplantation Surgery

Primary graft dysfunction in lung transplantation (PGD) is a syndrome occurring within the first 72 h after lung implantation characterized by progressive acute lung injury: inflammatory pulmonary edema with diffuse alveolar damage that manifests clinically as progressive hypoxemia with radiographic pulmonary infiltrates similar to Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Following ischemia and reperfusion, inflammatory and immunological injury-repair responses appear the key controlling mechanisms of PGD.