Lung Transplantation—Indications, Follow-Up Care and Long-Term Results.

BACKGROUND

Lung transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage nonmalignant lung disease. It has become a routine procedure through advances in donor lung preservation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, immunosuppression, intensive care medicine, and follow-up care.

METHODS

This review is based on publications about lung transplantation that were retrieved by a selective literature search, and on the procedures and experience of two large-volume lung transplantation centers.

RESULTS

The mean survival time after lung transplantation is six years, which is the shortest after the transplantation of any solid organ. Chronic graft dysfunction is present in 41% of patients at five years and is the main cause of death after lung transplantation, followed by infection and cancer.

CONCLUSION

Despite all the advances in lung transplantation, acute and-above all-chronic graft dysfunction still pose a major challenge for large-volume transplantation centers. Immunosuppression that is individually tailored to prevent both graft rejection and infection is important for these patients' longterm survival. Xenotransplantation and so-called lung bioengineering may become available in the future as alternatives to allotransplantation.