Can You Donate a Lung to a Family Member

Yes, a family member can donate a lung to another family member through a living lung transplant, though this is a rare procedure. In a living lung transplant, a recipient receives two lungs from two donors, typically the lower lobes of each lung. The recipient’s lungs are removed and replaced with the donor lungs during a single operation. 

The need for lung donation

When the lungs are unhealthy or damaged, the body may struggle to get the oxygen it needs to survive. Medications and specialised breathing equipment can often help manage lung injuries. However, if these treatments are ineffective or if lung function becomes critically compromised, a lung transplant may be necessary.

Several diseases and conditions can damage the lungs and hinder their function, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which encompasses emphysema; pulmonary fibrosis, characterised by lung scarring; cystic fibrosis; advanced sarcoidosis with fibrosis; and pulmonary hypertension.

Where do lungs for transplants come from?

Most lung transplants come from deceased donors, a process known as “cadaveric transplant.” While it’s common for donors to be individuals who have passed away, there are rare cases where a portion of a lung can be taken from a living donor.

Healthy, non-smoking adults who are a suitable match can donate a lobe of one of their lungs. This procedure is referred to as a “living transplant.” Donors can typically continue to breathe normally with their remaining lung tissue after the donation.

Who is eligible to be a living lung donor?

Lung donation usually happens after someone has passed away, but in rare cases, it’s possible to donate a lung while still living. Given the significant shortage of organ donors, those considering donation are encouraged to do so for several important reasons:

1. Before any lung transplant, potential donors go through comprehensive evaluations to ensure their organs are suitable.

2. All major religions support lung donation.

3. Most people can be donors, with only a few health restrictions.

4. Because there aren’t enough lung donors to meet the need, only transplants with the best chances of success are performed. This means many patients face long wait times and often endure considerable pain and struggle.

Is it possible to donate a lung to a family member?

When a family member chooses to donate a part of their lung to help a loved one, this is known as a lung transplant from a living donor. It’s essential to understand the donor’s motivations, as payment or any form of reward is not allowed.

Most people who donate do so out of a desire to improve the life or quality of life for someone they care about, which is a commendable reason. Typically, two living donors are needed for one recipient. While living lung transplants are rare, they do take place.

In this type of transplant, the lower right lobe of one donor’s lung and the lower left lobe of another donor’s lung are removed. These donor lobes are then implanted into the recipient’s lungs during a single operation.

Most recipients of living lung transplants are individuals with cystic fibrosis and are often related to the donors. It’s crucial that both the recipient and the donors have similar body sizes and compatible blood types.

How is a living lung lobe transplant organised?

Potential donors must belong to the right blood group, which means certain family members cannot donate. Donors get in-depth counselling to ensure they are aware of the risks, including those related to morbidity and mortality. The donor is provided with written literature outlining the modest hazards in detail. All donors will feel some post-operative discomfort, and a chest tube will remain in place for at least a few days. In most cases, the chest tube is only left in place for one to three days, but in rare occasions, a donor may need to have their chest tube for up to three weeks. Postoperative infections and other uncommon postoperative problems are also a possibility, albeit a tiny one.

Around the world, the mortality rate of people who have donated a lung lobe is incredibly low. Donors typically do not encounter any severe or fatal consequences. The donor will be able to live a normal life in all other respects but will have reduced physical tolerance for activities like competitive sports if they have four lung lobes as opposed to five. However, he or she will have less lung tissue available if they go on to get lung cancer or a serious chest infection. Potential donors have the right to change their minds at any point throughout the evaluation process, and the other family members are not informed of the reasons they were deemed unsuitable, such as medical, psychological, or change of heart issues.

All prospective donors get a medical evaluation, and a psychiatrist also conducts an interview with them. They confirm that the possible donor has a clear understanding of the risks and reevaluates the motive of the individual. Its crucial that potential donors understand they can only make this kind of donation once, and the patient still has a chance of passing away.

Are living lung lobe transplants ethical?

Due to a lack of organ donors, teenagers, adolescents, and even adults are passing away. Anyone who cares about them and wants to help save their lives by donating an organ can do so. However, not all patients have relatives who are healthy enough and ready to donate organs. If 25% of patients could be cured by accepting a familial organ donation, there would be more cadaveric donors available for other patients who are waiting to be treated.

It is also crucial to realize that the family member who wishes to donate their lung to the patient is under no duty or pressure, either from the patient, from another member of the family, or from staff members at the transplant hospital.

Without pressuring the patient, it is mentioned that receiving a lung from a loved one is an option when getting ready for a regular lung transplant. The family members who opt to donate can request that the transplant team investigate and further discuss the situation. Understandably, some patients do not want their family members to undertake this risk on their behalf.

Having said that, if a family member volunteers as a lung donor for a patient who is their family member, extreme caution and extensive screening are done to make sure that both the recipient and the donor can lead healthy lives after the lung transplant.

Conclusion

Lung disease can be hard to live with, both for the patient and their loved ones. Patients with end-stage lung illness can have a significant improvement in quality of life after receiving a lung transplant.

Some lung donors who donate a portion of their organs to a family member express their gratitude for the chance to try and save their loved one. When the surgery is successful, this is understandable because their father, wife, or daughter receives a new lease on life, all thanks to them.

Even if the patient passes away, the donor family member expresses their gratitude for having been given the chance to make this final effort to help their loved one.

Consequently, a living lung lobe donation may be performed if thorough assessment and counseling are done and it complies with local legal criteria. Indeed, it appears to be completely permissible from both a modern secular ethical point of view as well as from a compassionate standpoint to offer something one can do without, at minimal danger to oneself, which can save the life of another human being.