The first lung transplant took place at the University of Mississippi in 1963 and has since been considered as a treatment for end-stage lung cancer. While early success was difficult, lung transplants today are seen as a life-saver among sufferers and have very high success rates. Many hospitals now offer dedicated lung transplant units that patients should consider if they are in need of an operation.



After the early stages of lung transplantation and its associated methods, doctors moved to doing a heart-lung transplant system. This method showed more promise than previous techniques but obviously not all patients in need of a lung transplant also needed a heart so this procedure carried its share of concerns.

In the late 1980s doctors finally perfected the lung transplant and the procedure has even changed much since then. Outcomes continue to improve due mainly to better medications and treatment of infection and bodily rejection of the organ. The main limiting factor is the small supply of donor organs.

If you live in the southeast or are just interested in top notch medical care on this subject, Emory Healthcare offers the McKelvey Lung Transplantation Center which has done over 200 successful lung transplants. Their clinic is located in Atlanta and is close to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport which makes their services more convenient for everyone, not just those in the southeast.

While lung cancer patients may try several treatment options before considering a lung transplantation, statistics have shown that this is a very viable and successful treatment for those in end-stage prognosis. Early action is the largest contributing factor to success, so discussing the procedure with your doctor may never be a bad idea.