Lung transplant.

Hi,

My father is in severe stages of emphysema and I know he would benefit from a lung transplant. He is on oxygen 100% of the time now. My father is very healthy and still walks daily, depending on how he feels. My dad is a very young 74 and I'm only 52. I smoked for the better part of 25 years but have been smoke free for 10 years. I know my dad and I have the same blood type. My questions are: I know people can live with only one lung so is it possible for me to give one of my lungs to my father if we have a tissue match? And second, will they have to remove both of my father's lungs to make this beneficial?

Thank you for taking the time to help me with my questions.

Mike Sorensen

[National Jewish]

National Jewish Medical and Research Center treats lung problems medically.  There are no surgical facilities here.  So lung transplants are not done at National Jewish.  Please check with the program coordinator at a major lung transplant center.  To locate the lung transplant center closets to you please call the United Network for Organ Sharing at 1 [phone].  This would be the best resource for the answers to your questions.  Lung transplantation in persons with emphysema need not be bilateral.  There are reports of bilateral living donor lobar lung transplantation (partial lung) for selected children and adults with end-stage lung disease but the risk to the donors is high.  I don't know if this has been done for emphysema.

[Bwana]

Having researched this, I am advised that NO TRANSPLANTS ARE CARRIED OUT ON PATIENTS OVER 65 years old.  Also, while on oxygen and moving about, your fatheer is alive.  IF he had a transplant, and IF it failed, he would probably die!  So  apart from not being able to get a transplant (for my husband) we decided that it is better to take the chance to live with oxygen than have no chance with a transplant that, even if successful, would probably only last a few years.  Any more comments?

[twolulu]

There are some lung transplant centers in the U.S. that do lung tx after the age of 65. I know a couple off the top of my head, Univ of Cal San Diego, Tampa General, Mayo- Jacksonville, and there are several others. They base it on your physiological health. So it is possible to receive this.  Generally calling lung tx centers and asking what are the cutoffs and do they make acceptions for those who are in good health.

Good luck
Joanne Schum
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