Heart-And-Lung Transplant
Alternate Names : Transplant - Heart and Lungs
Definition This surgery replaces a diseased heart and lungs with a healthy heart and lungs from a human donor.
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Overview & Description
Heart-and-lung transplant operations have been performed since 1980 in the United States. In 1997, approximately 150 of these operations were performed. The donated heart and lungs are from a person who has been declared brain-dead, but remains on life-support. Tissue matches must be performed to assure the patient's best chance of not rejecting the transplanted organs.
While the patient is deep asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia), an incision is made through the breast bone (sternum). Tubes are used to re-route the blood to a heart-lung bypass machine. This keeps the blood oxygenated and circulating during the surgery.
The patient's heart and lungs are removed, and the donor heart and lungs are stitched into place.
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