The Novalung interventional lung assist as bridge to lung transplantation for self-ventilating patients - initial experience.

We report the use of the Novalung pumpless device in self-ventilating patients awaiting a lung transplantation. Two patients developed carbon dioxide retention with respiratory acidosis that did not respond to maximum medical therapy. The Novalung interventional lung assist was established as a bridge to lung transplantation. The first patient was successfully transplanted after 140 days, and this is the longest support that has been reported so far. The second patient was weaned off the Novalung after a short period. The Novalung is a valuable device for self-ventilating patients with carbon dioxide retention being bridged to lung transplantation.