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Coronavirus

Japan transplants live-donor lung to COVID patient in world first

Husband and son donors in good condition, says Kyoto University Hospital

Doctors at Kyoto University Hospital perform the world's first living-donor lung transplant on a patient suffering from COVID-19 complications.   © Kyoto University Hospital/Kyodo

TOKYO -- Kyoto University Hospital has transplanted lung tissue from living persons to a patient suffering from serious COVID-19 pneumonia, in the world's first living-donor lung transplant to a novel coronavirus patient, according to the hospital in a Thursday announcement.

While there have been 20 to 40 lung transplants in China, Europe and the U.S. after infection, all were from brain-dead donors. "The world's first living donor lung transplant is expected to be a promising treatment for patients who have serious lung disorders," said the university hospital in a news release.

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