Lung Transplantation: Therapies, Complications & Outcomes

Lung transplantation (LT) is the only definitive treatment for many forms of end-stage pulmonary diseases. However, its success is limited by several factors including organ infection/disease, acute rejection and chronic allograft dysfunction. Progresses made in patient selection, surgical techniques as well as in therapeutic management (immunosuppressive regimes) have led to a growing increase in the one-year survival rates up to 75%, however, the 5-year survival rate following LT remains only approximately 50%. This book presents research in the study of lung transplantation, including primary graft dysfunction in lung transplantation; the impact of viral pathogens in lung transplant patients; neurologic complications of lung transplantation; intensive care management of the lung transplantation patient and the surgical issues facing lung transplant surgeons.