Since the successful clinical reintroduction of heart and lung transplantation in 1981, more than 350 of these procedures have been performed worldwide. Although survival following this operation is less than that reported for heart transplantation, the results are improving. It is clear that the increased technical difficulty of the procedure combined with the exquisite susceptibility of the transplanted lung to postoperative injury from infection, rejection or other causes account for these differences. In this report we provide an overview of the experience in heart-lung transplantation and discuss recent advances. The late complication of chronic obliterative bronchiolitis, which may progress inexorably, has cast a shadow over the potential long-term success of this therapeutic procedure. Current research efforts are directed toward the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of this complication.
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