We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of all lung transplants performed at The Ohio State University. The charts of each lung transplant recipient were reviewed to look for the incidence of neurological injuries. We compared our results with studies published from other transplant centers including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Mayo Clinic and Duke. 

We reviewed the charts of 185 patients that underwent lung transplant at our center. We evaluated all neurological complications that occurred within 1 month of transplantation. Eight patients had perioperative acute ischemic cardioembolic stroke, one patient had sciatic nerve injury from body positioning during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and 10 patients had acute encephalopathy. One patient had posterior ischemic optic neuropathy, one patient had SIADH, one patient had a headache, two had acute peripheral neuropathy and five patients had restless legs syndrome. There were no reported cases of PRES, any movement disorder, acute CNS infections or osmotic demyelination syndrome. 

When compared with Mayo Clinic, Duke, and UPMC the overall incidence of acute stroke and other neurological injuries in this patient population was much less.

In our retrospective review, the rates of acute neurological complication following lung transplantation are low. When compared to the similar studies in the current literature, the overall incidences of neurological complications at our institution  were much lower.