Lung Transplant Surgery In India

A lung transplant is a surgery carried out to replace a diseased or dysfunctional lung with a healthy, donated lung. The lug is mostly taken from a deceased donor who died a natural death. Lung Transplant is an advanced surgery, i.e. it's performed when other methods of treating the lung, via medications, therapy, change in lifestyle have not succeeded. The lung transplant is not a simple surgery, however, it can promote better health prospects and quality of life because of a healthy lung. A lung transplant may either replace only one of your lungs or both of them, depending on the complexity of the damage to the lung(s).

When is Lung Transplant Needed

A Lung transplant is considered necessary when all other treatments for a diseased lung have been tried, but have not caused any considerable improvement towards the functioning of the lung. Such cases can lead to lung failure, further leading to death. Here are some of the causes of failing lung:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis)
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
• Smoking
• Pneumonia
• Cystic fibrosis
• Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Severe bronchiectasis
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Preliminary indicators of lung cancer

The delay in diagnosing these cases is a significant contributor to the increase. When lung cancer has progressed beyond the point where symptoms may be seen, therapy might be challenging. As a result of their lack of knowledge, many individuals who see the early indicators of lung cancer choose to disregard them. This carelessness and lack of awareness end up being deadly.

Therefore, everyone must be aware of such indicators so that prompt diagnosis may be made and lives can be saved. To raise awareness, here is a compiled list of warning signs and symptoms of lung cancer.

• Intractable Cough.
• Heartburn that won't go away.
• The voice is hoarse and rough.
• Coughing up Blood means that your throat is bleeding.
• Shortness of breath and wheezing

Eligibility for Lung Transplant

A lung transplant is a very delicate procedure. If certain medical conditions in your body are found out to interfere with the functioning on the new implanted lung, you may be considered disqualified for a lung transplant. The conditions or the grounds on which you can be rejected as a candidate for a lung transplant are:

• Presence of active infection.
• Medical history of cancer
• Critical ailments like heart diseases, liver failure or kidney disease.
• Not adaptable with certain lifestyle changes
• Do not have anyone to take care after surgery.

Just before the transplant operation, you will undergo

There's no telling how long it may be until a suitable donor becomes available, but you'll need to be ready to move swiftly once one does. Always have a way for the transplant team to contact you. Make sure you have a 24-hour supply of your medications, a ride to the transplant facility ahead of time, and bring a fully packed hospital bag. You may need to go to the hospital within the next several hours.

Testing will be done at the hospital to verify the compatibility of the lung and your overall health before surgery is scheduled. In addition to the recipient being in good health, the donor's lung must also be in good condition. If the transplant procedure is not successful, it will be scrapped.

Lung Transplant Procedure

In the Lung Transplant Procedure, you are administered general anaesthesia before the lung transplant surgery so that a painless surgery is ensured from the surgeon's end. The anaesthesia employed is generally strong so it may put you to sleep. The surgeon inserts a tubular structure inside the windpipe via which you will breathe for the time while the surgery is conducted. Another tube is inserted through the nostrils to drain the stomach contents. At the same time, a catheter is also used to drain the bladder before the surgery. Your body is hinged to a heart-lung machine as the surgery is performed. This device is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood throughout the body during the surgery. The surgeon makes a cut around the chest area, opening the passage to the old lung. The old lung is removed, and the new lung form the donor is connected to the airways and the arteries. As soon as the new lung starts to function like a normal lung, the cut is closed via stitches. Since the lung transplant surgery is highly delicate surgery, the patient is kept in the ICU for the few initial days.

Lung Transplant Success Rate

The latest one year- lung transplant survival rate for a single lung transplant is about 80%, while the 5 year- lung transplant survival rate for a single lung transplant is about 50%

Lung Transplant Surgery Risks

If the lung transplant surgery is carried out at a good hospital under great expertise, chances are that the lung transplant doesn't have any risks. However, certain risks may pop up as the surgery is delicate. The risks/side effects are:

• Weight gain
• Tremors
• A rounder face
• Acne
• Facial hair
• Stomach problems
• Diabetes
• High Blood pressure

Following a lung transplant, what can one expect?

Once the lung transplant is finished, the anesthesiologist will cease administering the anaesthetic. You'll be transferred to an ICU, where doctors and nurses will patiently wait for you to regain consciousness while keeping a close eye on your general health. Your mechanical ventilator will keep you alive in the intensive care unit.

When your doctors deem it appropriate, you will be transferred to a special ward for people who have just had a transplant and have had a mechanical ventilator inserted. The dose of your immunosuppressant medication will be adjusted according to how you and your body react to the treatment.

Patients in the post-transplant unit work with physiotherapists and respiratory therapists to regain strength while their bodies mend. You'll be released from the hospital whenever you've made enough progress, and your doctors are confident in their decision to let you leave. A 12- to 14-day hospital stay, or longer if required, is to be expected following surgery.

After the procedure, you should take these precautions

After the surgery, you will likely spend several days in the intensive care unit. Your health indicators will need to be tracked constantly. A mechanical ventilator will be used to assist your breathing. Fluid accumulation in the chest may be drained by tubes attached to the patient. The total time spent in the hospital might be many weeks, but it could also be much less. Your stay length is contingent upon your speedy recovery.

You'll see your lung transplant team members often throughout the following three months. Doctors will watch for any symptoms of infection, rejection, or other complications. You'll need to be close to the hospital doing the transplant. The staff will go through post-operative wound care with you before releasing you from the hospital. You will be informed of any drug limitations.

How much does a lung transplant cost?

For the sufferer and their loved ones, the effects of a lung illness may be devastating. When a patient reaches the terminal stage of lung illness, a lung transplant may drastically enhance their quality of life. In India, the price of a Lung transplant cost might range from 25 to 35 lakhs. The patient and their family should verify with their insurance provider that the transplant procedure's total cost is within the policy's coverage parameters. Several variables affect how much a lung transplant can set you back, including:

• Cost of Organ Transportation and Return.
• Length of hospital stay and kind of room selected.
• Technology and Facilities in Healthcare Facilities.
• Medication Administered After a Transplant.
• Concerns about one's health.
• Restoration and Rehab.

Lung Transplant FAQs