Prognostication in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: implications for lung transplantation. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common disease for which single lung transplantation (SLT) is performed and is a frequent reason for bilateral lung transplantation (BLT). Recent data suggest a favorable survival advantage for patients with COPD undergoing lung transplantation compared with other diagnoses. This has led some investigators to question whether transplantation leads to improved survival in COPD patients compared with alternative treatment and whether this surgical therapy is appropriate in these individuals. These viewpoints may reflect the difficulties inherent in accurately predicting short- and long-term survival in patients with advanced COPD. Our review of the available data suggests that clinical, physiological, and radiographic features allow the identification of COPD patients with increased mortality despite maximal medical therapy. In these high risk individuals transplantation remains a viable therapeutic option.

publication date

  • October 1, 2001

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0035190188

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1055/s-2001-18421

PubMed ID

  • 16088695

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 22

issue

  • 5