2 lungs better than 1 in transplantation

“Two lungs are better than one – when it comes to lung transplantations,” thanks to a new study that looked at the long-term survival rates of patients who had lung transplants.

Lung transplantation may be an option for people with cystic fibrosis , emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis , or sarcoidosis , although there may be other illnesses in the group as well.

The study, done by researchers from Johns Hopkins, found that having both lung replaced by healthy lungs because if one lung is left behind, there may be some residual (left over) parts of the disease, which could end up causing problems. The researchers also point out that “when both lungs are replaced, the new lungs, which must breathe together as a pair, are already adapted to each other.”

The encouraging part of this study is that people who received two lungs had almost double the chances of long-term survival over those who only received eon. The discouraging part is this digs into the already very low number of lungs available for transplant.

By transplanting only one lung, surgeons can save two lives with one donor. According to a press release issued by the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions,

The finding is potentially controversial, researchers say, because there is already a shortage of organ donors, and more widespread use of bilateral lung transplants could nearly halve the potential number of beneficiaries. Though more than 1,400 lung transplants occurred in the United States in 2008, another 2,000 Americans remain on lung waiting lists, while 80 more are waiting for both a heart and lung.

What do you think? Should we be increasing the chances of long-term survival or give more people a shot at survival?

~~~~~

Image: Stock.xchng