Is Lung Transplantation an Option for Patients with Severe Emphysema?
• Lung transplantation has also become another option for patients with end-stage emphysema. Transplantation may involve one or both lungs. • Statistics reveal that survival after lung transplantation has been as high as 77% at two years and 75% at three years after surgery. • Transplantation therapy is a risky and cost-prohibitive operation. Patients often have long waits for available matched donor lungs. • Hospitalization is required and months of pulmonary therapy and lifelong anti-rejection therapy is required.
