New ISHLT Document on Preoperative Considerations for the Use of ECLS in Lung Transplantation
A new ISHLT Document, ISHLT Consensus Statement on the Perioperative Use of ECLS in Lung Transplantation: Part I - Preoperative Considerations, has been published in JHLT and is available to read online! Led by Anna Reed, Olaf Mercierand Archer Martin, this is
one of three documents developed to discuss the use of ECLS in each of the perioperative stages of lung transplantation.
The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) throughout the perioperative phase of lung transplantation requires nuanced planning and execution by an integrated team of multidisciplinary experts. To date, no multidisciplinary consensus document has examined the perioperative considerations of how to best manage these patients. To address this challenge, this perioperative utilization of ECLS in lung transplantation consensus statement was approved for development by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Standards and Guidelines Committee. International experts across multiple disciplines, including cardiothoracic surgery, anesthesiology, critical care, pediatric pulmonology, adult pulmonology, pharmacy, psychology, physical therapy, nursing, and perfusion, were selected based on expertise and divided into subgroups examining the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods.
This preoperative consensus focuses on recommendations for patient selection, planning for bridging initiation and supportive strategies, management during the bridging period, prevention and management of complications, and considerations for future research and technological development for ECLS as bridge to lung transplantation.
Visit the Standards & Guidelines page for details, top takeaways, and links to read or download the document.