MHH Performs the Most Lung Transplants in the Eurotransplant Network

In 2024, MHH carried out 103 lung transplants and one heart-lung transplant—twelve more than the previous year. This makes MHH the largest lung transplantation center within the Eurotransplant network. One combined heart-lung transplant and nine lung transplants were performed on children and adolescents under the age of 16, representing 50 percent of all pediatric lung transplants within the Eurotransplant network.

“There are only three to four centers in Europe that transplant as many lungs as MHH,” says Prof. Dr. Fabio Ius, head of the lung transplantation program at the Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation, and Vascular Surgery and DZL scientist. “We are the only center that transplants donor lungs into children under six years old.”

The MHH team primarily uses minimally invasive techniques for lung transplantation, allowing patients to spend less time in intensive care and reducing the risk of complications. The team also takes on particularly complex cases. “We specialize in combined transplants such as lung and liver, transplants despite donor-recipient tissue incompatibility, and re-transplantations,” says Prof. Dr. Arjang Ruhparwar, director of the Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation, and Vascular Surgery and a BREATH board member. “In 2024, we also performed 23 heart transplants, making us the largest thoracic transplantation center in Germany.” On behalf of all staff and patients, he expresses gratitude to all organ donors and their families.

Expertise Built Over 38 Years
MHH performed its first lung transplant in 1987. Since then, 2,742 patients have received donor lungs, and 159 have undergone combined heart-lung transplants. “One of our key focus areas is the treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension, so a significant number of affected individuals are listed with us,” explains Prof. Dr. Marius Höper, acting head of the Department of Pneumology and Infectiology, DZL scientist and a BREATH board member. Previously, 20 percent of lung transplant recipients were cystic fibrosis patients like Wencke. “Thanks to advancements in drug therapies, we now only perform three to four transplants a year for this patient group—an incredibly positive development.” (read more about this here) MHH currently has 30 patients listed with Eurotransplant for a lung transplant and provides post-transplant care for nearly 1,100 lung transplant recipients.

A free intensive care bed—including in pediatric intensive care—operating rooms, pulmonologists (including pediatric specialists), surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical, anesthesia, intensive care, and ward nurses, staff in the Eurotransplant liaison office, and many other specialists: A transplant requires an extensive team and resources available around the clock. At any moment, a donor organ offer can arrive for a patient on the transplant waiting list.

“The lung transplantation team once again did outstanding work in 2024, transcending professional and departmental boundaries,” emphasizes MHH Nursing Director Claudia Bredthauer. She highlights that caring for transplant patients is particularly complex and demanding. “Our dedicated nursing professionals played a crucial role. By offering specialized training in transplant care and academic qualifications, we aim to make this field even more attractive.”

Eurotransplant: A Large Pool of Donors and Recipients

Eurotransplant, a non-profit foundation based in Leiden, Netherlands, facilitates organ allocation between donor hospitals and transplant centers in eight European countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia. The organization enables the exchange of organs such as kidneys, livers, hearts, and lungs within a large donor and recipient pool.

A Unique Resource for Research

The five sites of the DZL greatly benefit from the large number of lung transplants performed at MHH. The MHH Institute of Pathology has established a 24-hour on-call service, ensuring that explanted lungs are processed immediately and made available for research. Thanks to this infrastructure, DZL researchers can analyze fresh tissue samples to better understand underlying diseases and their causes, ultimately developing improved treatment options.

Text: Camilla Mosel

Original article: https://www.breath-hannover.de/en/news-media/news/news-details.html?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=862&cHash=5632a323706f3a534eff723ab124b5b1