Heart-and-lung transplant

Alternative names:

transplant of the heart and lungs

Expectations after surgery:

Heart-and-lung transplant prolongs the life of a patient who otherwise would die. The operation is done only in patients where there is a very good chance of success. The long-term outcomes are unknown at this time.

As with all major organ transplants, the problems are finding a donor, fighting the rejection effect, and the cost of the surgery.

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 still on life-support while the patient is still in healthy-enough condition to survive the surgery.

Fighting rejection is an ongoing process. The body's immune system considers the transplanted organ as an invader (much like an infection) and fights it. 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:

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.