Lung transplantation is a surgical procedure involving removal of diseased lungs of a patient and replacement of lungs from a healthy donor. This is also referred to as single, double and even heart-lung transplantation.
The main purpose of lung transplantation technique is to replace the lung that do not function properly. This is replaced by a healthy lung. If one lung is transplanted it is called “single-lung transplant” and if both lungs are transplanted, it is “bilateral or double-lung transplant”. Usually, transplantation lungs come from healthy, young people who might have had severe brain damage due to cardiac arrest or trauma. Their lungs and organs are maintained with life support machinery.
LUNG TRANSPLANTATION REQUIREMTS:
- Potential Donor Requirements:
Certain requirements for potential donors because of the needs of recipient. In living donor cases, this is a consideration of how surgery affects the donor.- Size match: The donated lung should be large enough to oxygenate the patient and small enough to fit in recipient’s cavity.
- Blood group
- Health
- Age
- Potential Recipients Requirements:
The following are some lung transplantation requirements in potential recipient’s.- No other chronic medical conditions
- No smoking, drug or alcohol abuse
- Age
- No HIV or Hepatitis
- Final-stage of lung disease
- Acceptable psychological profile
- Has social support system
- No recent cancer or current infections: In certain cases, pre-existing infection is unavoidable. This is common in cystic fibrosis patients. In these cases, transplant centers may accept or reject patients with infections of MRSA or B. Cepacia.
- Within an acceptable range of weight
- Financially able to pay expenses
- Able to comply with post transplant regimen: Lung transplantation is a major operation and the patient must adhere to lifetime regimen of medications and also continue medical care.
