Allotrapianto di polmone sinistro nel maiale : Tecnica di valutazione funzionale sec. Cooper.

In order to assess transplanted lung function the authors used an inflatable cuff placed around the pulmonary artery of the native lung. This technique has been used in 14 pigs that underwent left lung allotransplantation. The inflatable cuff was successfully placed in all cases except 4 among the first of the series. Hemodynamic and gas exchange data before and after the inflation of the cuff, together with the arteriographies carried out on two of the pigs, have shown that native lung function can be completely excluded by using this technique. In the author's experience it has proved relatively easy. Using this inflatable cuff single lung allotransplant can be considered a good experimental method to assess the techniques of harvesting, preservation and implantation of the transplanted lung.