China News Service, Wuhan, January 5 (Yang Cen) "My New Year's wish is to breathe freely and live freely." After suffering from pneumoconiosis and undergoing a double lung transplant with the assistance of ECMO, the 27-year-old Zhuan (pseudonym) each The vital signs were excellent and he recovered and was discharged on the 5th.
Zhu An has been engaged in stone processing for many years. Three years ago, he was diagnosed as "pneumoconiosis" due to chest tightness and asthma, and was given intermittent oxygen support treatment.
Since 2020, his chest tightness has worsened, and he has developed to the point where he cannot escape from oxygen to maintain normal breathing.
On April 8, 2020, he came to Wuhan University People's Hospital (Hubei Provincial People's Hospital) for treatment.
After examination, Zhu An’s lungs developed irreversible fibrosis, and lung transplantation is the only way to continue life.
After passing the lung transplant assessment, he joined the waiting list of the "China Organ Distribution and Sharing Computer System".
In the early morning of December 19, 2020, a lung source donated by a brain-dead patient was successfully matched with Zhuan.
Zhu An took a photo with the doctors and nurses of the lung transplant team before leaving the hospital.
Photo courtesy of Wuhan University People's Hospital
In the afternoon, the team of Professor Lin Huiqing, deputy director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Wuhan University People's Hospital, performed surgery for Zhuan.
Considering the pulmonary hypertension and instability of heart and lung function caused by long-term pulmonary fibrosis, Lin Huiqing decided to operate with the assistance of ECMO to ensure the safety and smooth transition of the operation.
With the support of ECMO, Lin Huiqing successfully transplanted the left and right lungs for Zhu An.
One day after the operation, Zhu An successfully removed the ECMO. On the 6th day after the operation, he could intermittently deoxygenate and start walking training.
Re-examination of chest CT showed that his lungs were recovering well. However, due to heavy preoperative consumption and insufficient nutrition, Zhu An, who is 1.7 meters tall and weighs only 44 kg, still has a way to go in the later stage of recovery.
Lin Huiqing introduced that young patients with pneumoconiosis like Zhu An are extremely rare. "This should be highly related to his inattention to protection when he is engaged in stone processing. During the operation, we removed his original lung, which was already hard as a stone, with an anatomical section. It's all milky white tiny stone particles." (End)