[Status of lung transplantation: developments, indications and results]

Lung transplantation has proven to be a successful treatment for selected patients with end stage pulmonary disease. The indications are restrictive, chronic obstructive or infective lung diseases and diseases associated with high pulmonary resistance. The choice of the appropriate operation as single lung transplantation, double lung transplantation or heart-lung transplantation is based on the various end stage lung diseases. From 1983 till april 1989 76 single lung and 49 double lung transplants were performed in different centers with an actual survival rate of 60% for single and 57% for double lung transplants.