A 33-year-old man endured 48 hours without lungs after surgeons removed his severely infected ones to halt a deadly infection. An artificial lung system kept him alive until a double lung transplant could be performed. More than two years later, he lives a normal life with healthy lung function.
A critically ill 33-year-old man arrived at Northwestern University with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) triggered by the flu and complicated by bacterial pneumonia. His lungs, heart, and kidneys were failing. 'He was critically ill. His heart stopped as soon as he arrived. We had to perform CPR,' said lead author Ankit Bharat, a thoracic surgeon at the university. The infection had destroyed his lungs beyond repair, actively spreading to other organs. Doctors decided to remove both lungs entirely to stop the spread, but his body was too unstable for an immediate transplant. In their place, the team deployed a specially engineered artificial lung system. This device oxygenated his blood, removed carbon dioxide, and supported circulation. 'The heart and lungs are intrinsically connected,' Bharat explained. 'When there are no lungs, how do you keep the patient alive?' After the pneumonectomy, his blood pressure stabilized, organs began recovering, and the infection was controlled. Exactly 48 hours later—two days after surgery—donor lungs became available, enabling a successful double lung transplant. Molecular analysis of the removed lungs revealed extensive scarring and immune system damage, providing 'biological proof' that they could not recover. 'For the first time, biologically, we are giving molecular proof that some patients will need a double lung transplant, otherwise they will not survive,' Bharat stated. The case, detailed in the journal Med from Cell Press, suggests this approach as a potential bridge for patients with irreversible acute lung damage from infections. Bharat noted that young patients often die weekly without recognizing transplantation as an option.
