When a patient's respiratory health has deteriorated to a level at which doctors predict that he or she won't live long without a healthy replacement lung, a lung transplant may be considered as a treatment option. Lung transplants have been successfully used to treat patients with lung cancer and mesothelioma , two diseases that are sometimes caused by asbestos exposure.

Lung Transplant Surgery

Lung transplant surgery is a major undertaking. The surgery can take place only when the right donor is available — not simply when it's urgently needed by the recipient. The lung transplant surgery may need to be performed with very little notice, such as when a donor becomes available following a fatal accident. In other cases, there is more time to prepare for the donor.

For a lung transplant, the donor's lung (or both lungs) are very carefully removed and immediately packed for transport to the facility where the recipient will undergo surgery. In some cases, the distance between facilities is rather large, and lungs are vulnerable organs that can be preserved for only about five or six hours.

A lung transplant surgery is performed under general anesthesia, of course. The recipient's heart is stopped, and a heart-lung bypass machine and an artificial breathing machine are used to maintain the body's stasis during the removal of the diseased lung or lungs. The donor lung is put in place and tested for viability and health; if all is well, the recipient's chest is closed. The patient will spend a number of days in an intensive care unit for observation. During this time, rejection of the new lung or lungs is a definite risk.

Are You a Possible Lung Transplant Candidate?

If you have mesothelioma or another lung disease caused by asbestos, the question of whether a lung transplant will help you will be considered by a number of people:

• Your surgeon
• A pulmonologist (lung specialist)
• Perhaps your primary care physician
• A transplant coordinator
• You and your family members, especially those who contribute to your care

If you are deemed an appropriate candidate for lung transplant surgery, you should know that:

(1) You'll be on a waiting list for a donor, and you might have to wait for months or even years for a new lung, and

(2) You'll be taking medications for the rest of your life to keep your body from rejecting the new lung (or lungs).

What Are the Possible Complications of a Lung Transplant?

After a lung transplant for mesothelioma or other disease and a few follow-up weeks in the hospital, a gradual recovery can be expected, but the possible complications of lung transplant surgery should be kept in mind:

• Rejection
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Cancer

Lung Transplant Surgery for Mesothelioma Patients

Lung transplant surgery for your mesothelioma may or may not be a viable option. Talk to the doctor who is responsible for your mesothelioma care about the feasibility of receiving a lung transplant, or if you need a mesothelioma specialist use the resources on our site to find one.