Introduction: Lung transplantation is the only valid treatment for the severe neonatal pulmonary hypoplasia. The objective of this work is to develop and to establish a model of lobar lung transplantation.
Material and methods: Twenty pigs were used. Neonates 2-3 weeks; adults 10-12 weeks. Donors weighed 15 to 20 kg and recipients 5 to 7. In Group A animals were used to assess surgical anatomy and to develop surgical technique and instrumentation's model. The remainder animals (Group B) underwent left lobar lung transplantation. Hemodynamic and oxygenation data were collected before and after six hours of right lung exclusion.
Results: All animals tolerated right lung exclusion. There was a significant increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure and a sustained reduction in cardiac output. Oxygenation values were not affected during unilateral lung perfusion.
Conclusions: The neonatal pig has a good tolerance to reduced-size lung transplantation. Lobar lung transplantation could increase substantially the donor's lung pool.