Transplantation: The Most Transformative Therapy in Medicine
- with Drs. Pedro Catarino and Dominick Megna @cedarssinai
What is it like to care for patients with end-stage heart and lung disease - and then watch them get a second chance at life?
In this episode of Transplant Talks, we sit down with Dr. Pedro Catarino, Chair of Cardiac Surgery at Cedars-Sinai, and Dr. Dominick Megna, Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation.
We discuss what drew them to transplant surgery, the unique culture and camaraderie of transplant teams, and why many consider transplantation to be among the most rewarding fields in medicine. Drs. Catarino and Megna share their perspectives on caring for patients before and after transplant, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and defining success not only by survival, but by quality of life.
We also explore advances in donor lung preservation, ex-vivo lung perfusion, minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery, and Cedars-Sinai's pioneering work transplanting patients with severe COVID-related lung failure.
Finally, we discuss the future of transplantation, including new approaches to managing the immune system, and reflect on the extraordinary generosity of organ donors and their families, whose gifts make every transplant possible.
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/provider/dominick-megna-308059.html
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/provider/pedro-catarino-915128.html
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/lung/specialties/transplant.html
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/heart/specialties/transplant.html
0:00 Introduction
2:08 What attracted you into this field?
5:19 The patient as priority
7:45 Was there a moment in time that you decided to be a transplant surgeon?
11:19 Both Dr. Catarino and Dr. Megna joined the Cedars-Sinai transplant team in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic
16:48 Pushing the boundaries
22:09 Traditional versus robotic lung surgery
28:53 The purpose of lung transplantation is to improve quality of life
33:28 Expanding the pool of potential donors
34:06 - by being very gentle with how they manage and preserve the lungs prior to transplantation
35:23 - and with a "mini-ICU" for the lungs
36:50 - and by aggressive selection of donor lungs
37:57 The lifestyle of a transplant surgeon
42:55 The future of transplantation
46:05 The donors - "a remarkable act of solidarity with fellow humans"
For more information on organ transplantation:
https://www.americantransplantfoundation.org @americantransplant
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