Intraoperative Plasma Exchange for Sensitized Lung Transplantation Candidate Leads to Significant Perioperative Coagulopathy

Sensitized lung transplantation recipients are at an increased risk for complications. Therapies such as plasma exchange (PLEX) exist to lessen the antibody burden in hopes of mitigating acute and chronic complications. Although the use of PLEX has been shown to be an effective immunomodulation for many diseases, its benefit in lung transplantation has been debated, and the fear of PLEX-induced coagulopathy has curtailed its use more broadly. Although the type of fluid used for exchange can determine the severity of coagulopathy, even the use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) can disrupt the coagulation cascade. We present the case of severe perioperative coagulopathy following PLEX with FFP during bilateral lung transplantation.