Single lung transplantation has offered many people a new lease of life. Lynne Holt describes the care of the first UK patient to have the treatment

Lung transplantation has been attempted worldwide for more than 25 years. The success of this operation, which is judged by recipients leaving hospital with an improved quality of life, has been achieved slowly in comparison to other organ transplants. The growing success is a culmination of over 50 years of extensive laboratory research in various centres throughout the world and well documented clinical experience in heart transplantation.