Focus | Lung Transplantation
Lung transplantation can be a life saving procedure for people with end stage lung diseases who have exhausted all other available treatment options. The most common diseases leading to a transplant are pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Lung transplantation not only extends life, but can also provide a higher quality of life for people facing significant limitations
due to disease. However, average survival post lung transplant is less than five years - significantly less than all other forms of solid organ transplant. Poor long-term outcomes in lung transplant patients appear to relate to chronic rejection which remains a persistent problem despite administration of full-dose multi-drug systemic immunosuppressive regimens. There is an urgent need for new approaches aimed at improving outcomes for lung transplant recipients.