Lung transplant is an extreme measure for patients with life-threatening lung disease or damage. Current survival rates are as high as 80% at 1 year following transplantation and 60% at 4 years.

Fighting rejection is an ongoing process. The body's immune system considers the transplanted organ as an invader (much like an infection) and may attack it. To prevent rejection, organ transplant patients must take anti-rejection (immunosuppression) drugs (such as cyclosporine and corticosteroids) that suppress the body's immune response and reduce the chance of rejection. As a result, however, these drugs also reduce the body's natural ability to fight off various infections.

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.

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Lung transplant Risks

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Lung transplant Prevention

Review Date: 05/03/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)