Pediatric lung transplantation.
Lung transplantation is an accepted therapy for selected pediatric patients with severe end-stage vascular or parenchymal lung disease. Collaboration between the patients' primary care physicians, the lung transplant team, patients, and patients' families is essential. The challenges of this treatment include the limited availability of suitable donor organs, the toxicity of immunosuppressive medications needed to prevent rejection, the prevention and treatment of obliterative bronchiolitis, and maximizing growth, development, and quality of life of the recipients. This article describes the current status of pediatric lung transplantation, indications for listing, evaluation of recipient and donor, updates on the operative procedure,graft dysfunction, and the risk factors, outcomes, and future directions.
Solomon
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Transplant Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada. melinda.solomon@sickkids.ca
Grasemann
H
H
Keshavjee
S
S
D002648:Child; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019520:Living Donors; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome