Critical Care of Heart-Lung and Lung Transplant Recipients

Lung transplant is a complex procedure that has been a successful therapy for various end-stage lung diseases since the 1980s. Combined heart-lung transplant, however, is performed much less frequently than in the past. Survival rates after lung transplant have been stable over the past several years (90% survival at 3 months, 80% at 1 year, 60% at 3 years, and 45% at 5 years). The types of transplant procedures available and the general indications for lung transplant are listed in this chapter.