Breakthrough: New lung treatment made available here for the first time is set to massively increase Irish donor pool – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Breakthrough: New lung treatment made available here for the first time is set to massively increase Irish donor pool




There was some good news for those who currently suffer from incurable lung disease’s as a new lung treatment will be made available for the first time which will significantly increase the lung donor pool in Ireland.

The news comes after 20-year-old Cystic Fibrosis patient Leigh Bagnall was the first person in Ireland to benefit from the new Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Transplant. Ms Bagnall’s successful transplant was the first of its kind to be ever performed here and it has given hope to the country’s leading doctors and surgeons along with patients as it marks a major step towards future lung transplants.

Doctors say the revolutionary new treatment works by improving the quality of a donors lungs before transplantation, meaning it now allows lungs that would not previously have been useable to be successfully donated.

According to Lung Transplant Surgeon Karen Redmond, of Mater Hospital, the new treatment will increase the pool of lungs available, which in turn will help save many lives.

Share this story

Tell us what you think on our Facebook page