Lung Transplantation

Lung transplantation is surgery to replace one or both diseased lungs with a healthy lung or lungs from a donor. During the operation, the surgeon makes a cut in the chest and removes the diseased lung. The surgeon then sews the new lung to the main blood vessels and air passage.

Your doctor may recommend a lung transplant if you have disease that cannot be controlled any other way. These diseases include

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Cystic fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Primary pulmonary hypertension

Complications of lung transplantation include rejection of the transplanted lung and infection.

Heart-Lung Transplant on Wikipedia

A '''heart-lung transplant''' is a procedure carried out to replace both heart and lungs in a single operation. Due to a shortage of suitable donors it is rarely done, and only about 100 such transplants are performed each year in the USA.

Qualifying Conditions

Most candidates for heart-lung transplants have life-threatening damage to both their heart and lungs. In the US, most prospective candidates have between 12 and 24 months to live. At any one time, there are about 250 people on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in the USA - about 40 of those will die before a suitable donor is found. Conditions which may necessitate a heart-lung transplant include: *Congenital problems (defects present at birth) affecting the heart and lungs (48%) *Pulmonary hypertension (20%) *Cystic Fibrosis (2%) *A second transplant after the first transplant failed to 'take' or was rejected (4%) Candidates for a heart-lung transplant are usually required to be: *Under 55 years old *Have no other medical conditions (eg. AIDS, Diabetis, Hepatitis) *Mentally sound *Capable of following a post-op regiment of exercise and immunosuppressant drugs

History

Dr. Norman Shumway laid the groundwork for heart lung transplantation with his experiments into heart transplantation at Stanford in the mid-1960s. Shumway conducted the first adult heart transplant in the US in 1968. Building on his research at Stanford, Dr. Bruce Reitz performed the first successful heart-lung transplant on Mary Gohlke in 1981 at Stanford Hospital. The transplant team at Stanford is the longest continuously active team performing these transplants.

The Procedure

The patient is anesthetised. When the donor organs arrive, they are checked for fitness - any organs that show signs of damage are discarded and the operation cancelled. Some patients are concerned that their organs will be removed and the donor organs not suitable. Since this is ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

LifeNet - LifeNet is the largest, full-service, non-profit allograft Tissue Banking System in the United States. LifeNet is also a non-profit, federally-designated, Organ Procurement Organization providing donation systems for heart, liver, kidney, pancreas,lung, and other organs for transplant.

My Name is Roosje Smid - Information about this 4 year old who has Pulmonary Hypertension, a Congenital Heart Lung Defect. Heart lung transplant will be needed in the future.

Health Care Financial Administration - A list of medicare approved heart, lung, heart-lung, and liver transplant centers is provided.

Richard Shannon Lung Transplant Fund - Richard Shannon has Cystic Fibrosis. He is on the list for a lung transplant. A fund raiser is ongoing to pay for expenses beyond what insurance covers. Prayers and contributions are helpful.

Emily's Breath of Hope - Fundraising for a 10 year old girl in need of a double lung transplant. Find a calendar of events and contribute online.

Lungs for Shawn - Site about Shawn Hunter a 27 year-old man with CF who is waiting for a double lung transplant. Includes a journal of what is happening with Shawn.

cystic fibrosis - Site for those wanting to learn about end stage. Not for someone whose child has been recently diagnosed. By a woman waiting for a lung transplant.

Julie - Site by a woman waiting for a lung transplant.

In Memory of April... - Memorial for a young woman who lost her life to CF after a lung transplant.

Frankie's home page - Biographical site by a man with CF who underwent a double lung transplant.

Related Pages on HealthTales.com:

Lung Cancer
Lung Diseases
Heart Transplantation
Kidney Transplantation
Liver Transplantation
Organ Transplantation
Pancreas Transplantation
Bone Marrow Transplantation
Islet Cell Transplantation