An amazing progression in the medical field.

In 1983, 44 lung transplants had been performed around the world and 44 had failed. All of the patients died within days or weeks.

But for Tom Hall, a Toronto man suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs), a transplant was the only hope, a “shot in the dark,” as his doctor said, even though the three other lung transplants attempted in Toronto had been unsuccessful.

Presented with the grim odds, Hall told the doctor: “It would be a privilege to be patient 45.”

He not only survived, but thrived, going from his death bed at age 58 to living another 61/2 years and, in the process, helping make Toronto General Hospital a world-renowned transplant centre.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/lung-transplant-40-years-ago-opened-a-door-that-saved-thousands-of-lives/article15244720/

Wonderfull stuff!

Being a dLTx recipient, this makes me happy. Due to the 'shots in the dark' some of us are still here and enjoy life all the more

Presumably, dLTx would work also for asbestosis and silicosis sufferers, for whom the gene therapy probably wouldn't work.

To my knowledge that is correct. Gene therapy wouldn't work in repairing scarred lung tissue. Both are essentially a form of fibrosis - which I also had.
I personally don't know any transplantees that had asbestosis and silicosis, but there probably are some in my circle of fellow transplantees.

Has anyone with a smoking related disease ever had a lung transplant? Just a thought.

james1v wrote:Has anyone with a smoking related disease ever had a lung transplant? Just a thought.

I saw a documentary about exactly that. So yes.

Scar says so, but I can tell you that it is not the case for lung cancer. Here in NL one must be cancer free (all types) for a minimum of 5 yrs, Germany it is 3yrs.

Scar wrote:

james1v wrote:Has anyone with a smoking related disease ever had a lung transplant? Just a thought.

I saw a documentary about exactly that. So yes.

Any links?

Stagman wrote:Scar says so, but I can tell you that it is not the case for lung cancer. Here in NL one must be cancer free (all types) for a minimum of 5 yrs, Germany it is 3yrs.

Why? Its not like the recipient is going to spread the disease to anyone else. So, you have a spare pair of lungs, that are of no use to anyone else, wrong match...However, this lung cancer patient, he/shes a match, but we aint doing it. Why not?

Because the patient forever thereafter has an artificially lowered immune system.
When the immune system is lowered the chance of the cancer returning is much higher. That is a risk that doctor deem such that it is then not worth the effort to transplant a sick patient. The screening for getting donor organs is rather strict - anything that may hamper life afterwards is looked at very carefully. Cancer is not taken lightly during this stage.

Due to the lowered immune system, the chance getting sick is thus higher, therefore anytime a transplantee gets sick it is very important to monitor the sickness, as the immune system may also see the 'foreign' lung(s) and reject them too. Therefore tranplantees are very strict in cleanliness, hygiene and food.
Cancer gets the immune system working and thus the chance of the lungs being rejected is high when properly sick.

It has nothing to do with the patient being a smoker beforehand or not.

Stagman wrote:Because the patient forever thereafter has an artificially lowered immune system.
When the immune system is lowered the chance of the cancer returning is much higher. That is a risk that doctor deem such that it is then not worth the effort to transplant a sick patient. The screening for getting donor organs is rather strict - anything that may hamper life afterwards is looked at very carefully. Cancer is not taken lightly during this stage.

Due to the lowered immune system, the chance getting sick is thus higher, therefore anytime a transplantee gets sick it is very important to monitor the sickness, as the immune system may also see the 'foreign' lung(s) and reject them too. Therefore tranplantees are very strict in cleanliness, hygiene and food.
Cancer gets the immune system working and thus the chance of the lungs being rejected is high when properly sick.

It has nothing to do with the patient being a smoker beforehand or not.

Wotcha thinking about?

I don't make the rules. Here in this part of NW Europe an organisation named Eurotransplant does, along with local medical authorites.

Sorry Stagman, I googled dltx and got something about a carburetor. I'm just wondering, does it mean double lung transplant?

dLTx is indeed for double Lung Transplant. Though, if you are inventive you could say that lungs are the biological carburetors...

Stagman wrote:dLTx is indeed for double Lung Transplant. Though, if you are inventive you could say that lungs are the biological carburetors...

That made me go and look up the meaning of the green ribbon, but it's for awareness of those suffering from any disease, not just lung disease. Still, I learned something—two somethings—today.

The green ribbon, as far as I know of, has many more meanings. The one I have it for is awareness for organ donation.
It is just that bit more specific to me.