Organ donation

Apart from the skin, the lung is the organ that is connected most closely and intensively with the outside world: the breath transports everything that is around us “in the air" into our bodies, directly via the lungs. Bacteria, fungi and viruses get into our system this way. Healthy bronchi and a functioning immune system normally have no problems. However, as soon as a patient has to be ventilated, for instance after an accident, this system is very rapidly weakened and pneumonia develops easily. This is complicated by the fact that the lung is usually damaged itself in some way, either by the environment, our own behaviour or by an accident. This means that it is available particularly rarely as a donor organ. Patients who are waiting for a donor lung often have to accept long waiting periods.

Information on organ donation can be obtained from the German Federal Health Information Office on the Internet or through the free-fone number 0800 / 90 40 400.