Re: Transplant Recipient Death in UK

[Guest guest]

Steve,

You're right this is most disturbing. I guess I just kind of assumed (naively in retrospect) that lungs would not be taken from a donor who was a smoker. My question for the doctor who said they would "certainly NOT" take lungs if there were any sign of cancer. It's likely pretty safe to assume that the surgeons in the UK would have said the same thing. The problem is the damage from smoking isn't always visible. That's why I find this so disturbing.

Much food for thought here huh? Good luck with your appointment. Please let us know how it goes. I look forward to knowing you are listed!

Beth

Moderator

Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 Dermatomyositis 11/08

To: Breathe-Support Sent: Mon, October 12, 2009 10:13:27 PMSubject: Transplant Recipient Death in UK

A FaceBook friend of mine who grew up across the street from me posted the following link on my "Wall" today. Thought it would be of interest to the folks on this support group. It reports on the death of a UK war veteran who had a double lung transplant and then died after developing lung cancer post-transplant. After investigating, they found that he had received the lungs of a heavy smoker - someone who had smoked 50+ cigarettes a day!!! For what it's worth, the use of donor lungs from smokers was discussed in the monthly support group at Brigham and Women's Lung Transplant Program. The transplant surgeon said that lungs from smokers may be used, but only if there is NO significant damage to the lungs...and certainly NOT if there is any evidence at all of cancer. As I remember the conversation, it was also said that the recipient was told and had the option to not accept the lung/lungs.As someone who is now less than 48 hours from

his appointment at Brigham & Women's, where he may be activated on the list...it certainly caught my attention!http://www.cnn. com/2009/ HEALTH/10/ 12/soldier. lung.cancer. transplant/ index.htmlSteve aka...Knip UIP/IPF 9/07 VATS 12/0757 Plymouth, NH, USA

[Guest guest]

Beth & Steve

Eddie had a brother who passed away in 1998 from an aneurysm. He was also a donor. His lungs were donated to a girl, who was 32 years old. She lived maybe 3 or 4 yrs after transplant.

Now I just want to fill you in on Eddie's brother. He was a smoker and I think he had tried drugs in his lifetime (the youngest brother always bragged about giving him marijuana) Eddie's brother had served in the Navy and he spent some time in a rehab hospital. This was when Eddie & I were engaged to be married.

Since I have been diagnosed with IPF and heard about lung tranplant, I always wondered about Eddie's brother who passed away and had his lungs donated. And I wonder about Eddie's brother's history of smoking, etc. Makes us want to think about lung transplant.

Toodles!

Jane UIP/IPF 12/1998 Dalton, Georgia aka pianolady_musicgirl

>> Steve,> You're right this is most disturbing. I guess I just kind of assumed (naively in retrospect) that lungs would not be taken from a donor who was a smoker. My question for the doctor who said they would "certainly NOT" take lungs if there were any sign of cancer. It's likely pretty safe to assume that the surgeons in the UK would have said the same thing. The problem is the damage from smoking isn't always visible. That's why I find this so disturbing. > > Much food for thought here huh? Good luck with your appointment. Please let us know how it goes. I look forward to knowing you are listed!> > Beth> Moderator> Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 Dermatomyositis 11/08> > > > > > > ________________________________> To: Breathe-Support > Sent: Mon, October 12, 2009 10:13:27 PM> Subject: Transplant Recipient Death in UK> > > A FaceBook friend of mine who grew up across the street from me posted the following link on my "Wall" today. Thought it would be of interest to the folks on this support group. It reports on the death of a UK war veteran who had a double lung transplant and then died after developing lung cancer post-transplant. After investigating, they found that he had received the lungs of a heavy smoker - someone who had smoked 50+ cigarettes a day!!! > > For what it's worth, the use of donor lungs from smokers was discussed in the monthly support group at Brigham and Women's Lung Transplant Program. The transplant surgeon said that lungs from smokers may be used, but only if there is NO significant damage to the lungs...and certainly NOT if there is any evidence at all of cancer. As I remember the conversation, it was also said that the recipient was told and had the option to not accept the lung/lungs.> > As someone who is now less than 48 hours from his appointment at Brigham & Women's, where he may be activated on the list...it certainly caught my attention!> > http://www.cnn. com/2009/ HEALTH/10/ 12/soldier. lung.cancer. transplant/ index.html> > Steve aka...Knip UIP/IPF 9/07 VATS 12/07> 57 Plymouth, NH, USA>