Bronchiolitis Obliterans After Lung Transplantation

ing lung transplantation is 71%, and 46% of trans¬ plant recipients will survive at least 5 years.1 Al¬ though infections, medication-related adverse events, and malignancies remain important compli¬ cations, prolonged survival is limited predominantly by bronchiolitis obliterans (RO), a condition that was associated with transplantation more than a decade ago.25 Data suggest that at least 50% of lung trans¬ plant recipients surviving at least 3 months will develop RO.6 RO is not only responsible for death, but may lead to substantial disability, morbidity through infections, and morbidity secondary to aug¬ mented immunosuppression in attempts to halt pro¬ gression. The terminology for RO has been refined with increasing experience and understanding of this dis-