Effect of Duration of Donor Ventilation on Lung Transplant Outcomes

A retrospective analysis of 7,856 adult lung transplants from 2006 to 2023, comparing short (≤7 days) vs long (>7 days) durations of donor ventilation showed no significant difference in rates of primary graft dysfunction, 90-day graft survival, or recipient survival at one, three, and five years. Secondary outcomes such as ventilator support duration and rates of complications were also similar. No threshold for donor ventilation duration was linked to a higher hazard of graft failure. The study concludes that the duration of donor ventilation alone should not exclude lungs from being considered for transplantation.