Lung Transplantation in Japan

The first successful living-donor lobar lung transplant (LDLLT) in Japan was performed at Okayama University in October 1998 after a long period of waiting for the legalization of thoracic organ transplantation. By May 2003, a further 41 lung transplants had been performed; 28 from living donors and 13 from cadaveric donors. The indications for a lung transplant are very specialized in Japan, the most common being primary pulmonary hypertension. Although the number of lung transplants is still small, survival in Japan, at 72% after 4 years, is better than the world average. Because the number of available cadaveric donors for lung transplantation is limited, at less than 5 per year, LDLLT is a realistic option for properly selected candidates.