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Alternative names Return to top
Transplant - heart and lungsDefinition Return to top
This surgery replaces a diseased heart and lungs with a healthy heart and lungs from a human donor.Description Return to top
Heart-and-lung transplant operations have been performed since 1980 in the United States. In 1997, approximately 150 of these operations were performed. The donated heart and lungs are from a person who has been declared brain-dead, but remains on life-support. Tissue matches must be performed to assure the patient's best chance of not rejecting the transplanted organs.Indications Return to top
Heart-lung transplant may be recommended for patients with:Risks Return to top
Risks for any anesthesia are:Expectations after surgery Return to top
A heart-and-lung transplant prolongs the life of a patient who otherwise would die. The operation is done only when there is a very good chance of success. While long-term outcomes are unknown at this time, 5-year survival is approximately 40-50%.
As with all major organ transplants, the problems are finding a donor, preventing rejection, and the cost of the surgery and anti-rejection medications.
Finding a donor for heart-lung transplant can be difficult. The donated organs must come from a person who has been declared brain-dead, but is still on life-support, while the patient is still in healthy-enough condition to survive the surgery.
Preventing rejection is an ongoing process. The body's immune system considers the transplanted organs as invaders (much like an infection), and fights them.
To prevent rejection, organ transplant patients must take anti-rejection (immunosuppression) drugs (such as cyclosporine and corticosteroids) that reduce (suppress) the body's immune response and reduce the chance of rejection. These drugs also reduce the body's natural ability to fight off various infections.
Convalescence Return to top
An extended hospital stay should be expected. The recovery period is about 6 months. Frequent check-ups with blood tests and X-ray tests will be necessary for years. Update Date: 10/29/2003 Updated by: Jeffrey Everett, M.D., Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |