heart-and-lung transplant…

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heart, section, the middle, heart, lungs, thoracic organs, transplant, heart, lungs, heart-and-lung transplant is surgery to replace a diseased heart, lungs, a healthy heart, lungs, a human donor, heart-and-lung transplant operations have been performed, 1980, 1995, between 30, 70 heart-lung transplants, performed each year, according, united network, organ sharing, unos, donated heart, lungs, a person who has been declared brain-dead, remains on life-support, tissue matching helps find the best match of donated organs, patient is deep asleep, general anesthesia, a cut is made, the breast bone, a heart-lung bypass machine takes over the circulating, the blood, maintains oxygen levels, patient's heart, lungs, removed, donor heart, lungs, stitched into place, heart-lung bypass machine is disconnected, blood flows, the donor heart, air flows in, the donor lungs, heart-lung transplant recommended, patients, severely diseased lungs, primary pulmonary hypertension, severely damaged heart, heart-and-lung transplants, not recommended, patients who have poor kidney, liver function, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, serious diseases, risks, anesthesia, reactions to medications, problems breathing, surgery, bleeding, infection, additional risks of transplant includes, the transplanted organs, rejection, the transplanted organs, infection, due to anti-rejection, immunosuppression, medications, blood clots, stroke, a heart-and-lung transplant extends the life of a patient who would otherwise die, operation, very good chance of success, long-term outcomes, unknown at this time, 5-year survival, 50%, all major organ transplants, finding a donor, preventing rejection, cost, the surgery, medications, finding a donor, heart-lung transplant, difficult, donated organs must come, a person who has been declared brain-dead, still on life-support, patient who needs the transplant must be healthy enough to survive the surgery, preventing rejection, ongoing process, body's immune system considers the transplanted organs, invaders, fights them, prevent rejection, organ transplant patients must take anti-rejection drugs cyclosporine, corticosteroids that reduce the body's immune response, drugs also reduce the body's natural ability to fight off various infections, an long hospital stay, expected, recovery period, 6 months, frequent check-ups, blood tests, x-rays will be necessary, years.