Top Surgeries in University Hospital in Motol: The Way of the New Lung from the Donor to the Recipient

This established method in the treatment of advanced lung diseases has been used in University Hospital in Motol since 1997. The head of the Specialized Center of Surgery, Professor Robert Lischke and his team have carried out 34 transplantations to the year of 2015 and this number is still increasing.

Pulmonary transplantation is primarily performed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and other severe respiratory diseases. The types of transplant procedures include a single lung transplant, double lung transplant, bilateral sequential or bilateral single transplant (when the transplant of both lungs is done at a time) or the most complicated heart-lung transplant, when the lungs and heart are taken from one donor.

The photos bellow are from the first transplant in 2016, the patient, a young woman, suffered from advanced cystic fibrosis. This demanding procedure was the only chance for her to live and thanks to the transplant. She is currently only visiting hospital for occasional medical checks. So how is the procedure performed step - by - step?

1. Transportation

The donor's lungs are transported in the box from the deceased donor's hospital to the hospital

of the patient, in this case it is a single lung transplant

2. Getting the patient ready

The team of  transplant surgeons, transplant nurses, transplant pulmonologist, anesthesiologist

and other healthcare professionals is preparing the patient for a complex surgery

3. Taking donor's lungs

Donor's lungs are carefully taken out from the freezing box to get ready for the operation

4. Preparing donor's lungs

Removing the blood clot by backwash

5. Splitting lungs

Splitting the left ventricle of the donor's lung

6. Disinfection and chest incision

The patient is put on the bypass machine. Disinfecting the pleural cavity of the patient

7. Damaged or diseased lung removal

The surgeons are removing the diseased lung from the patient's body

8. Replacing the lung by the healthy one

Our team attaches the blood vessels and airways to the new organ

9. Closing the thorax

Closing the thorax and sewing the wound on the patient's chest, while the tubes are removing

air, fluid and blood so the new lung can expand fully

10. Final fix of the wound

The incision is closed with stithches and staples, patient  and her functions are monitored constantly

Know more about the lung transplant procedure and see the detailed steps. If you are interested in respiratory diseases, read more about the Pulmonology specialty placement, where you can shadow the top professionals. These doctors have contributed to the establishment of a standard protocol for lung transplant procedure and attend international events such as the European Cystic Fibrosis Conference. Our hospital was the first one to treat cystic fibrosis patients with the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR),  Kalydeco. Become an equal member of the hospital team and gain a valuable practical experience for your future career.