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Overview
The patient's lungs are removed and the donor lungs are stitched into place. Drainage tubes (chest tubes) are inserted to drain air, fluid, and blood out of the chest for several days to allow the lungs to fully re-expand.
Patients will require immunosupressive mediccations for the rest of their lives to prevent immune rejection of the transplanted lung. Lung transplantation results vary depending on the disease being treated and the experience of the center performing the surgery.
Review Date 4/13/2015
Updated by: Dale Mueller, MD, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, HeartCare Midwest; Chairman Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery, OSF St. Francis Medical Center; and Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Illinois, Peoria, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.