5 questions before every lung transplant 5
When is a lung transplant needed?
People who are indicated for a lung transplant are mostly seriously ill patients, there is no other treatment, otherwise they will die within the next 2-3 years.
Common diseases requiring lung transplantation include: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension.
To prepare for a transplant, the patient must go through many types of tests.
The world’s first human lung transplant was performed in the United States in 1963 from an organ donor who died of a myocardial infarction.
Bilateral lung transplant.
What health conditions do living lung donors need?
The ideal age to donate is 18-60.
Most organ donors will experience pain after surgery.
Most of them have to stay under hospital observation for up to 10 days.
Common complications after transplantation?
Lung transplant is life-saving, but complications can also be very serious, even fatal.
One of them is organ incompatibility, leading to transplant rejection.
Common symptoms of transplant rejection are coughing up blood, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing while lying down…
Patients can also get infections.
What is Vietnam’s lung transplant capacity like?
The first living donor lung transplant in Vietnam took place in February 2017, performed by Military Hospital 103 in collaboration with Japanese experts.
In February 2018, Central Military Hospital 108 transplanted two lungs to patient Tran Ngoc Hanh, 54 years old, with end-stage obstructive pulmonary disease.
Viet Duc Hospital performed the next lung transplant in December 2018 from a brain-dead donor.
In August 2019, Viet Duc Hospital transplanted two lungs, heart, liver, and two kidneys from donors to 5 patients.
In December 2019, doctors at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital successfully performed a heart repair surgery and a lung transplant at the same time for the first time, from the organ source of a 19-year-old brain-dead man.
Mr. Tran Ngoc Hanh, 54 years old, recovered after a lung transplant.
Cost of a lung transplant surgery?
The cost for this surgery depends on the country and hospital.
In Vietnam, the cost of a lung transplant is about 2 billion VND.
