Objective: To report the management of the contralateral lungs in 4 cases with single allograft lung transplantation.
Methods: Four cases receiving lung transplantation were analyzed respectively. One presented with bilateral multiple lung cysts and three with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with bilateral bullae. In the case with bilateral multiple cysts, the contralateral lung remained untreated after operation. For the contralateral lungs in the three cases with COPD, one remained untreated, one received lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) immediately after lung transplantation, and one received LVRS 47 days after lung transplantation.
Results: Three patients recovered after operation, and 2 of them survived more than 18 months. One patient with delayed contralateral LVRS died 74 days after lung transplantation.
Conclusions: For advanced stage COPD with bilateral bullae, contralateral LVRS may be performed immediately after single lung transplantation. In patient with bilateral cysts only, the resection of the contralateral cysts may be avoided if there is no severe infection.