400 Section - Longitudinal Recovery of Physical Function after Lung Transplantation: A Comparative Analysis of ECMO and Non-ECMO Recipients

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Co-Author(s)

JC

Jong Yoon Chang, MD

Resident
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Cholla-namdo, Republic of Korea

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

WS

Woo Chul Son, MD

Fellow
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

DK

Da Yeong Kim, MD

Resident
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Cholla-bukto, Republic of Korea

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

Jl

Joon Hee lee, MD

Resident
asan medical center, university of ulsan college of medicine
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
JP

Ji Yeon Park, MD

Resident
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
JL

Jun Hyeok Lee, n/a

Researcher
Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
GK

Geon Woo Kim, n/a

Researcher
Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
JD

Jung Hwa Do, n/a

Physical Therapist
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
SH

Sang-Bum Hong, MD

Professor
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

HK

Ho Cheol Kim, MD

Professor
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
WK

Won Kim, MD

Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

Objectives :

Lung transplantation (LT) improves survival in end-stage lung disease, yet recovery of physical function after surgery remains insufficiently characterized, particularly in critically ill recipients bridged with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We investigated longitudinal trajectories of functional recovery and compared outcomes between ECMO and non-ECMO recipients.

Design:

We retrospectively analyzed 84 adults who underwent lung or heart–lung transplantation between August 2018 and August 2023. Physical function was evaluated at 6 and 12 months using a comprehensive battery of tests, including the 6-minute walk test, gait speed, and various measures of strength. Patients were divided into ECMO and non-ECMO groups, and statistical models were used to assess changes over time and group differences.

Results:

Of the 84 patients, 50 (59.5%) required ECMO support. Overall, physical function significantly improved from 6 to 12 months, with 93.4% of patients achieving independent ambulation by one year. ECMO recipients demonstrated delayed early recovery, with significantly fewer achieving independent ambulation at 6 months compared with non-ECMO recipients (p< 0.05). By 12 months, however, no significant group differences remained, and the long-term outcomes of both groups became comparable.

Conclusion:

LT recipients demonstrated substantial functional recovery within 12 months. Although ECMO patients showed delayed early recovery, they achieved comparable long-term outcomes to their non-ECMO counterparts. These findings underscore the need for prolonged, individualized rehabilitation, especially for ECMO-bridged recipients, to optimize their functional recovery.