Japanese lung transplant successfully from live donors

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

This is the world's first mid-lobe lung transplant performed by living donors.

The hospital also said that boys with pulmonary dysfunction are the youngest patients with lung transplantation in Japan.

This is the world's first mid-lobe lung transplant performed by living donors.(Photo: AFP)

Boys who were able to breathe after receiving the middle lung of the right lung from mother and hospital confirmed that the surgery was "successful".

Speaking to the press after the operation, Associate Professor of Respiratory Medicine Takahiro Oto of this state hospital said: 'Transplanted lungs are working well. The surgery is very difficult, but I guarantee that future lung lobes transplants will be successful. "

Living donor lung transplants are usually performed with lower lung lobes with larger breathing capacity. However, boys received the middle lung lobe smaller than the lower lung lobe and had medium size.

According to the source of the hospital, her mother decided to donate a lung lobe because she was less likely to find a small donor for her baby. Previously, boys had a bone marrow transplant due to white blood disease about 2 years ago but then the baby showed signs of rejection after transplantation.

Associate Professor Oto said the middle lung lobe transplant would pave the way to saving the lives of many children who are unable to conduct lung transplants in the future.