Lung transplant

Lung Transplant

A Lung Transplant is a surgical procedure in which a patient's diseased lungs are partially or completely replaced by lungs from a donor. This procedure is typically reserved for people who have tried other medications or treatments, but their conditions haven't sufficiently improved.

Indications

A lung transplant is often the last resort for treatment of lung failure. The most common reasons for a lung transplant include severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Cystic Fibrosis, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Procedure

The lung transplant procedure involves removing the patient's diseased lung, and replacing it with a healthy lung from a deceased donor. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The type of transplant performed can be a single lung transplant, a double lung transplant, or a heart-lung transplant, depending on the patient's condition and the disease severity.

Risks and Complications

Like all surgeries, lung transplants come with several risks. These include rejection of the transplanted lung, infection, bleeding, and complications from the use of Immunosuppressive Drugs.

Prognosis

The prognosis following a lung transplant varies widely, depending on the patient's overall health, the type of transplant, and the specific lung disease. However, many patients experience a significant improvement in quality of life and lung function.

See Also

• Organ Transplant
• Heart Transplant
• Kidney Transplant