Patients' experiences of everyday life after lung transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the experiences of everyday life after lung transplantation of patients with previous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


BACKGROUND
Compared with patients being transplanted due to other indications, those with COPD prior to lung transplantation report more problems in the form of shortness of breath, fatigue, sexual problems, insomnia and increased appetite. In addition, they are often faced with problems returning to normal working life. How these problems influence the patient's everyday life is unknown.


METHODS
An exploratory qualitative study.


METHODS
Ten COPD patients (five females and five males) aged 51-69 and more than six months post transplantation, were interviewed using of a semi-structured interview guide. All interviews were taperecorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis.


RESULTS
The analysis revealed four themes of experience: a second chance; an ordinary life without chronic rejection; even minor daily activities take time with chronic rejection; and need for support and knowledge that were considered important by the participants for their situation and daily life.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study describing the experiences of everyday life after lung transplantation of patients with COPD prior to surgery. The findings highlight the importance of addressing these patients' experiences of gratitude, positive life orientation and informational needs in relation to everyday life.


CONCLUSIONS
Health professionals should be aware of the kind of problems both women and men may experience a long time after the lung transplantation. They constitute a basic knowledge of a patient's everyday life that is important when planning individual counselling and rehabilitation.
Thomsen
Doris
D
The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. doris.thomsen@rh.regionh.dk
Jensen
Birte Østergaard
BØ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015399:Nursing Research; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome