Dr . Hoopes says Steve ? s efforts positioned him for a ? successful transplant . ? A transplanted heart beats on its own , but lungs require that the patient participate by breathing ,? he says . ? Physical therapy is critical prior to the operation . to working , fishing , and hunting , but he isn ? t taking his new lungs for granted . ? The reason I got into shape was because of the donor ? s sacrifice ,? he says . ? I prayed for the donor and their family , and I hope they realize that their loved one ? s sacrifice saved my whole family .?
Lynne is documenting their day-to-day journey and one day will read it to Steve . ? There have been terrible nights and long days , but marriage is for better or worse , right ??
A Birthday Gift
The gift of new lungs arrived on Jan . 30 , 2022 . ? They kept me asleep for the first day but woke me up on February 1 , which is my birthday ,? Steve says . ? I was able to stand up on my own and walk 1,600 feet .?
Dr . Hoopes notes that , while Steve struggled during his recovery , his motivation to succeed was never in doubt . ? He walked and fought to stay off a ventilator ,? he says . ? The brain interprets difficulty breathing as a life-threatening situation , but Steve pushed through it .?
When Lynne worked for the county clerk ? s office issuing drivers ? licenses , she encouraged residents to become organ donors . In the past year , the couple has had the unexpected opportunity to witness transplantation from the perspective of both the donor and the recipient . ? Last year , our daughter-in-law ? s brother was killed by lightning and was an organ donor ,? Lynne says . ? This year , Steve received a double-lung transplant .? Steve is looking forward to the day when he can get back
For certain severe COPD patients who are not responding to bronchodilators and rehabilitation , a new minimally invasive procedure is available that can yield a 15-20 % improvement in lung function . As Surya Bhatt , MD , explains , the Zephyr endobronchial valve addresses emphysema via lung volume reduction ; the one-way valve is placed through a bronchoscope , without even a stitch . The procedure , performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia , can dramatically improve patients ? quality of life if they meet certain criteria . Learn more from Dr . Bhatt about the importance of intact fissures , the ideal differences in respective lung lobe performance , and the critical tests he uses to determine if this procedure is right for your patient .
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PULMONARY , ALLERGY , AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE