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3mo ago

Northwestern Team Keeps Man Alive 48 Hours Without Lungs Before Double Transplant

A peer-reviewed report says certain ARDS cases cause irreversible injury that makes double‑lung transplantation the only path to survival.

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Sobrevive paciente durante 2 días con pulmones artificiales
Un hombre de 33 años logró mantenerse con vida durante dos días sin pulmones gracias a un sistema pulmonar artificial desarrollado en Estados Unidos; el caso, documentado por científicos de la Universidad Northwestern.
Un hombre sobrevivió dos días sin pulmones gracias a un innovador trasplante 

Overview

  • A 33-year-old developed severe ARDS after influenza complicated by necrotizing bacterial pneumonia, progressing to sepsis, multiorgan failure and a cardiac arrest on arrival.
  • Surgeons performed a bilateral pneumonectomy and used a bespoke extracorporeal artificial lung that oxygenated blood, removed carbon dioxide and replaced key pulmonary circulation functions.
  • The device stabilized blood pressure and organ function for 48 hours until compatible donor lungs became available, enabling a successful double-lung transplant.
  • The case, published January 29, 2026 in Med (Cell Press), includes molecular analyses showing extensive scarring and immune injury consistent with irreversible lung damage in this setting.
  • Specialists say the approach currently fits only highly resourced transplant centers, noting a 2016 Toronto precedent for lungless support while highlighting Northwestern’s added replacement of pulmonary circulation as a potential bridge pending standardization.