Anesthetic implications for lung transplantation.

Anesthetic challenges regarding lung transplantation are related to the expanded spectrum of diseases for which lung transplantation is offered and to the interval changes in health status likely to occur as patients wait longer for an organ to become available. Particular attention to avoiding or reducing the impact of increases in pulmonary vascular resistance and right heart failure are important and may necessitate cardiopulmonary bypass. Intraoperative and postoperative ventilator management should account for differences in pulmonary compliance after the new lung is implanted. Minimizing intravenous fluids without compromising end organ perfusion may avoid or reduce postoperative respiratory insufficiency.