When an Heart/lung transplantation is the only remaining option
With advances in technology and understanding, where necessary, surgical correction is possible for the majority of babies born today with cardiac defects and Down’s Syndrome. There are of course a few cases where the nature of the defect adds particular complications and surgery may be inadvisable. For these babies and for those teenagers and young adults who for whatever reason did not have corrective surgery, a heart / lung transplant is the only remaining option.Several families in this situation have been advised that someone with Down’s Syndrome would not be considered for transplantation and there has been considerable media coverage surrounding this issue. The reason generally given is that a patient needs to be able to understand and be compliant with the required procedures, particularly the drug regime needed after the surgery, and that someone with Down’s Syndrome would not be able to fulfil these criteria. This is of course making a generalisation and not treating each person as an individual and assessing them on their own ability. Most transplant centres do assess each patient and family individually, the problem is often in getting a referral from the cardiac unit.
In fact, transplantation and the procedures surrounding it, is another treatment which can bring very many problems. It is not the ‘miracle cure’ hoped for, and some families who have been through the assessment process have eventually decided against transplantation, once they had a better understanding of everything involved.
