Transplantation of a three-lobed donor left lung: A case report

A true left middle lobe (lingular lobe) is very rare, but accessory fissures can be unexpectedly found at transplant. Pre-transplant knowledge of accessory lobes and accessory fissures aids in preparation, transplantation, postoperative assessment, and long-term care planning; however, fissures and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Samuel Jacob, Ian A Makey, Magdy M El-Sayed Ahmed, Jorge M Mallea, David B Erasmus, Erol V Belli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2019-02-01
Series:SAGE Open Medical Case Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X19834155
Description
Summary:A true left middle lobe (lingular lobe) is very rare, but accessory fissures can be unexpectedly found at transplant. Pre-transplant knowledge of accessory lobes and accessory fissures aids in preparation, transplantation, postoperative assessment, and long-term care planning; however, fissures and accessory lobes can be overlooked by radiologists during routine evaluation of images. Here, we describe the first left lung with three anatomical lobes that was successfully transplanted into a 63-year-old patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This anatomical variation did not change our surgical plan or technique, but surgeons should be aware of this possibility, especially when planning postoperative care.
ISSN:2050-313X