Lung Transplantation in Hungary From Cardiac Surgeons' Perspective

Area of Science:

• Thoracic organ transplantation
• Lung transplantation
• Transplant surgery

Background:

• Hungary initiated thoracic organ transplantation with its first double lung transplant in December 2015.
• The program involved nearly a decade of preparation, infrastructure development, and organizational restructuring.
• This established a foundation for advanced thoracic surgical procedures in the country.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the outcomes of Hungary's lung transplant program since its inception.
• To analyze patient demographics, underlying pathologies, and survival rates.
• To identify areas for future development and collaboration in thoracic transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 47 lung transplant cases performed between December 2015 and the recent past.
• Categorization of patients by gender, age, and primary diagnosis.
• Evaluation of survival rates at 30 days and 1 year post-transplant.

Main Results:

• A total of 47 lung transplants were performed on 24 men and 23 women, aged 13 to 65.
• Common indications included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25), cystic fibrosis (11), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (7).
• Overall 30-day and 1-year survival rates were 96% and 82%, respectively, with variations based on underlying conditions.

Conclusions:

• The Hungarian lung transplant program demonstrates robustness and viability, achieving significant survival rates.
• Survival rates were notably higher in the cystic fibrosis and other diseases groups compared to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• Further improvements and interdisciplinary cooperation are essential for the program's continued success and expansion.