[Unilateral lung transplantation--an initial report of experiences]

Lung transplants have been attempted since 1963 but with little success. After fundamental work by the Toronto group with improved surgical techniques and after the introduction of cyclosporin that group was able to present convincing results. Of 16 unilaterally transplanted patients with pulmonary fibrosis in the final stage, 10 are still living, one of them for now 5 years. With bilateral lung transplantation the indication was extended to cover further pulmonary diseases in the final stage, such as emphysema, bronchiectases, eosinophilic granuloma, primary pulmonary hypertension and bronchiolitis obliterans. The unilateral lung transplantation performed by us failed after initially excellent functioning, on the 9th postoperative day because of a Pseudomonas infection that had been transferred with the donor organ.