Young Transplant Patient Dies After Getting Smoker’s Lungs

A young lung transplant patient named Lynsey Scott died unfortunately after it emerged that she was given the lungs of a smoker. Ms Scott was suffering from cystic fibrosis, which required that her lungs be replaced. However media reports indicate that the 28-year-old was not told about the fact that her donor was a smoker.

"We know Lynsey wouldn't have gone ahead had she known the donor was a smoker. The doctors took that choice away from her by not telling her,” said her father Alan Scott. "She would have been horrified to have known those lungs were from a smoker."

Lynsey died last July following complications after her transplant surgery in February 2009. The University Hospitals South Manchester NHS Trust has revealed that it followed guidelines outlined by the NHS Blood and Transplant services.

"If there are factors or issues surrounding the donor deemed to make the donation of higher risk we will discuss these concerns directly with the recipient, such as drug use or a particular event in the donor's life,” a Trust spokesman told The Sun.




Source-Medindia