Surgeons keep man alive without lungs in reported bridge to transplant

Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine removed both diseased lungs from a 33-year-old patient and kept him alive for 48 hours with a temporary artificial lung system, allowing a later double-lung transplant; the team reported the patient was doing well two years after the procedure.

Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine removed both diseased lungs from a critically ill 33-year-old patient and kept him alive for 48 hours, the hospital reported. The patient arrived with lung failure tied to a flu infection and then developed severe pneumonia and sepsis. While on life support, the team used a temporary artificial lung system to take over breathing function and to support circulation while the infection cleared. After 48 hours he received a double-lung transplant and, according to the medical team, was functionally independent and doing well two years later. Key facts: - The patient was a 33-year-old Missouri resident flown to Northwestern with lung failure after a flu-related illness that progressed to severe pneumonia and sepsis, during which his heart briefly stopped and CPR was performed. - Surgeons removed both lungs and maintained the patient for 48 hours using a temporary artificial lung system that provided gas exchange and supported blood flow, enabling time to clear infection before transplant. - The case was reported in the journal Med and the medical team said the patient later received a double-lung transplant and had preserved heart and lung function two years afterward. Summary: The team described this procedure as a bridge from lung removal to transplant that preserved the patient's circulation and allowed infection control before transplantation. Researchers noted the approach could inform care for patients with severe respiratory failure who cannot receive immediate donor lungs, and they reported hopes to develop longer-term implantable artificial lungs, though broader use remains under study.