Chicago Surgeons Save Patient Using Innovative Artificial Lung System

In a remarkable medical achievement, surgeons at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago successfully sustained a critically ill patient for 48 hours after removing both of his lungs. This groundbreaking procedure was undertaken to manage a severe lung infection that had become resistant to all antibiotic treatments.

The patient, a 33-year-old man from Missouri, was originally transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the spring of 2023 due to lung failure resulting from a serious flu infection. His condition further deteriorated, developing into severe pneumonia and sepsis, which led to a cardiac arrest. Dr. Ankit Bharat, who leads thoracic surgery and serves as executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, explained that the infection caused the patient’s lungs to dissolve and subsequently affected other parts of his body.

“The infection rendered his lungs untreatable by any antibiotics because it was resistant to all,” stated Dr. Bharat.

The removal of his lungs was necessary to halt the infection’s spread, although there was a significant danger of immediate heart failure. Normally, lungs act as a cushion for the right side of the heart; their removal could result in the heart experiencing high resistance, risking failure. Additionally, the absence of blood flow from the lungs to the left side of the heart presents risks of chamber collapse or deadly clots.

To overcome these challenges, the medical team developed a “total artificial lung system” (TAL) that performed essential functions such as gas exchange and maintaining blood flow to the heart. This innovative system allowed the patient’s own heart to regulate blood flow naturally, rather than relying on machinery, which was pivotal to his recovery.

“One day after removal of the lungs, the absence of the infection marked an improvement in his condition,” Dr. Bharat remarked.

After stabilizing the patient over 48 hours, he was deemed fit for a double-lung transplant. Now, two years post-surgery, the patient has resumed his normal life with robust lung and heart functions. This successful implementation of the TAL system marks a significant advancement, as previously attempted methods had limitations concerning blood flow control and risk of clot formation.

A case study published in the Cell Press journal Med highlighted a molecular analysis of the excised lungs, showing extensive damage, underlining the necessity of transplant in severe acute respiratory distress cases.

The TAL system may provide new hope for patients waiting for donor lungs, particularly those with severe respiratory syndrome and infections that have left them unsuitable for traditional transplant procedures. This technology offers a chance to eliminate infection, stabilize the patient, and pave the way for a successful transplant.

In the long-term, there is an ambition to create a durable, implantable artificial lung that could sustain patients beyond being a bridge to transplant, aiming for a permanent solution.