Bypass vs. Ecmo in Lung Transplantation (BELT)

This study will compare use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and heart-lung
bypass (CPB) during lung transplant procedures and their short and long term outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. The study population will be all patients requiring cardiopulmonary support while
undergoing lung transplantation at our institution.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients undergoing concomitant cardiac operations with indication for obligate use of
cardiopulmonary bypass

2. Patient with specific anatomy that require full cardiac decompression such as severe
pulmonary hypertension or large heart that are shifted severely into the left chest

3. Patients with high likelihood of significant pleural bleeding that will require
returning the blood back into the cardiotomy reservoir

4. Patients bridged to transplant with ECMO

5. Cystic fibrosis/bronchiectasis/resistant infection patients where surgeon will need to
remove both lungs prior to implantation

6. Patients who the surgeon feels would be better served with CPB rather than ECMO- These
patients will be entered into a registry and followed.