[Current aspects of lung transplantation in eastern countries and Japan]

Approximately 1,500 lung transplantations are performed as an established treatment for progressive benign pulmonary diseases in Eastern countries. In Japan, however, lung transplantation has just started after a long dark period since the transplant law had become effective in October, 1997. Until today, 33 patients underwent lung transplantation, of whom 13 were received from brain death donors and 20 from living donors. For the patients in Kyushu, this therapeutic modality would be also expected in this district.