Thoracic transplantation in 1998.

Thoracic transplantation has been a clinical option for patients with end-stage heart and lung disease for three decades. Heart, lung, and combined heart-lung transplantations are no longer experimental procedures; they are a standard part of the treatment algorithm for selected patients with end-stage heart and lung disease. This article summarizes the current status of heart, lung, and heart-lung transplantations and provides an insight into the future of this field.