[Pulmonary transplant in the treatment of advanced stage cystic fibrosis]

Abstract

In the last two decades improvements in immunosuppression, surgical technique and graft preservation has impressively enhanced transplantation late results. In the present paper we wonder whether this surgical procedure has a role in the treatment of patients with end-stage respiratory disease as cystic fibrosis (CF). We also try to relate on the main clinical, histological development, present status and the real therapeutic value of cardiopulmonary and double-lung transplantation for end-stage CF. We believe lung transplant may well extend the patient life and give a better quality of life to CF patients who would otherwise die, although functional time is presently unknown. Next years challenge ought to be to go critically through clinical results, to focus on existing problems, together with developing appropriate solutions so to allow a better surgical indication of pulmonary transplantation.