Japan successfully transplants lungs from living donors

Okayama University Hospital, Japan announced on July 1 that it had successfully performed an organ transplant from a mother's lung lobe to her 3-year-old son.

This is the world's first middle lobe lung transplant performed from a living donor.

This is the world's first middle lobe lung transplant performed from a living donor. (Photo: AFP)

The hospital also said the boy with impaired lung function is the youngest patient to receive a lung transplant in Japan.

The baby boy was able to breathe on his own after receiving the middle lobe of his mother's right lung, and the hospital confirmed the surgery was a "great success."

“The transplanted lung is functioning well,” Takahiro Oto, an associate professor of respiratory medicine at the state-run hospital, told reporters after the surgery. “The surgery was difficult, but I am sure that future middle lobe transplants will also be successful.”

Living-donor lung transplants are usually performed with the lower lobe, which has a larger breathing capacity. However, the boy received a middle lobe, which is smaller than the lower lobe and is of average size.

According to the hospital, the baby's mother decided to donate a lobe of her lung because it was unlikely that a young donor would be found. The baby had previously received a bone marrow transplant for leukemia about two years ago, but his body showed signs of rejection after the transplant.

Associate Professor Oto said that the middle lobe lung transplant will pave the way to save the lives of many children who are unable to undergo lung transplants in the future./.

According to (Vietnam+) - VT