Lung transplant facts for kids

A lung transplant is a special type of surgery. It's done for people who have very sick lungs and can't breathe well on their own, even with extra oxygen. During this surgery, a doctor removes the unhealthy lung or lungs. Then, a healthy lung or lungs are put into the patient's body. These new, healthy lungs can come from someone who has passed away or, sometimes, from a living person.

What is a Lung Transplant?

A lung transplant is a big operation that helps people with serious lung problems. Imagine your lungs are like balloons that help you breathe in air. If these balloons get very damaged, they can't do their job anymore. A lung transplant replaces these damaged lungs with healthy ones. This allows the person to breathe much better and live a more active life.

Why Someone Might Need a Lung Transplant

People need a lung transplant when their lungs are so sick that they can't get enough oxygen into their body. This can happen because of different diseases that damage the lungs over time.

• Cystic fibrosis: A disease that causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs.
• Emphysema: Often caused by smoking, it damages the air sacs in the lungs.
• Pulmonary fibrosis: A condition where lung tissue becomes scarred and thick.
• Pulmonary hypertension: High blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.

When these conditions make breathing very hard, even with medicines and oxygen, a transplant might be the best option.

How the Surgery Works

The surgery involves carefully removing the sick lung or lungs. Then, the new, healthy lung or lungs are connected to the patient's airways and blood vessels. This is a very complex surgery that takes many hours. After the surgery, patients need a lot of care to recover and make sure their body accepts the new lungs.

Who Donates Lungs

Healthy lungs for transplant can come from two main sources:

• Deceased donors: Most lungs come from people who have died and chosen to donate their organs. These lungs are carefully checked to make sure they are healthy and a good match for the patient.
• Living donors: Sometimes, a living person can donate part of one lung. This is usually done for children, where an adult family member might donate a small section of their lung. A healthy person can usually give part of a lung without becoming sick themselves. They can still breathe normally with their remaining lung tissue.

Life After a Lung Transplant

After a lung transplant, patients need to take special medicines for the rest of their lives. These medicines help stop their body from rejecting the new lungs. Rejection means the body's immune system tries to fight off the new lung, thinking it's a foreign invader. Regular check-ups and a healthy lifestyle are also very important for long-term success.

Images for kids

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  Micrograph showing lung transplant rejection. Lung biopsy. H&E stain.

See also

In Spanish: Trasplante de pulmón para niños