Acute transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) augments esophageal contractility in patients with weak peristalsis.

Background: Lung transplantation (LTx) remains controversial in patients with absent peristalsis (AP) given the increased risk for gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Furthermore, specific treatments to facilitate LTx in those with AP have not been widely described. Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TES) has been reported to improve foregut contractility in LTx patients and therefore we hypothesize that TES may augment the esophageal motility of patients with ineffective esophageal motility (IEM).

A prospective examination of swallow and cough dysfunction after lung transplantation.

Objectives: Swallow and cough dysfunction are possible surgical complications of lung transplantation (LT). We examined voluntary cough strength, sensorimotor reflexive cough integrity, and swallow-related respiratory rate (RR) across swallowing safety and aspiration response groups in recovering LT recipients.

Methods: Forty-five LT recipients underwent flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing indexed by the validated Penetration Aspiration Scale.

Corrigendum: Hyperammonemia After Lung Transplantation: Systematic Review and a Mini Case Series.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/ti.2022.

Incidence, risk factors, and sequelae of dysphagia mediated aspiration following lung transplantation.

Background: We aimed to determine dysphagia profiles before and after lung transplantation (prevalence, incidence) and to examine predictors and health-related outcomes of aspiration in individuals undergoing lung transplantation.

Methods: A retrospective single-center study of consecutive adults undergoing lung transplantation and completing a postoperative videofluoroscopic swallowing study between 2017 and 2020 was conducted. The validated penetration aspiration scale indexed swallowing safety and clinical outcomes were extracted from electronic medical records.

Hyperammonemia After Lung Transplantation: Systematic Review and a Mini Case Series.

Hyperammonemia after lung transplantation (HALT) is a rare but serious complication with high mortality. This systematic review delineates possible etiologies of HALT and highlights successful strategies used to manage this fatal complication. Seven biomedical databases and grey literature sources were searched using keywords relevant to hyperammonemia and lung transplantation for publications between 1995 and 2020.

Inpatient Management of the Acutely Decompensating Lung Transplant Candidate.

Lung allocation in the US changed nearly 15 years ago from time accrued on the waiting list to disease severity and likelihood of posttransplant survival, represented by the lung allocation score (LAS). Notably, the risk of death within a year plays a stronger role on the score calculation than posttransplant survival. While this change was associated with the intended decrease in waitlist mortality (most recently reported at 14.

Acute Right Ventricular Dysfunction Secondary to Hereditary Angioedema Exacerbation.

This is a case report of a 31-year-old woman with past medical history of hereditary angioedema (HAE) who developed acute right ventricular dysfunction. The patient presented to the emergency department with complaints of acute abdominal pain and swelling. Her electrocardiogram demonstrated sinus tachycardia and T wave inversion in leads V1-V3, otherwise without findings suggestive of ischemia.

Lung transplantation for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease.

Background: Acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases (AE-ILD) have a high mortality rate with no effective medical therapies. Lung transplantation is a potentially life-saving option for patients with AE-ILD, but its role is not well established. The aim of this study is to determine if this therapy during AE-ILD significantly affects post-transplant outcomes in comparison to those transplanted with stable disease.

Early outcomes after lung transplantation for severe COVID-19: a series of the first consecutive cases from four countries.

Background: Lung transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease; however, it is infrequently considered for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) attributable to infectious causes. We aimed to describe the course of disease and early post-transplantation outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who failed to show lung recovery despite optimal medical management and were deemed to be at imminent risk of dying due to pulmonary complications.

Methods: We established a multi-institutional case series that included the first consecutive transplants for severe COVID-19-associated ARDS known to us in the USA, Italy, Austria, and India.

Successful bridge to lung transplantation with transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

End-stage lung disease and advanced cardiac conditions are frequently seen together and represent a clinical dilemma. Even though both issues may be amenable to surgical management, combining lung transplant with surgical valve repair is rarely done and theoretically associated with increased morbidity and mortality risks, especially in elderly patients. Here, we describe 2 patients presenting with end-stage lung disease and significant aortic stenosis who were successfully bridged to lung transplant via transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Intravenous Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Therapy for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Current State of the Evidence.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a largely monogenetic disorder associated with a high risk for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cirrhosis. Intravenous alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) therapy has been available for the treatment of individuals with AATD and COPD since the late 1980s. Initial Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval was granted based on biochemical efficacy.

Do patients with submassive pulmonary embolism benefit from thrombolytic therapy?

Despite growing interest in thrombolytic agents to treat submassive pulmonary embolism, their role in this scenario remains controversial. Needed is a way to identify patients with this condition who are at risk of clinical deterioration and who would benefit from thrombolytic therapy. Here, we review the use of thrombolytic agents in submassive pulmonary embolism to help distinguish the risk and benefits of this therapy.