13-year-old Dana, the first child in Ukraine to receive a lung transplant, has been discharged from the Heart Institute
In early August, the team of the Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine performed the country’s first-ever lung transplantation for a child. The patient was 13-year-old Dana, who had spent a long time on the waiting list and urgently needed donor lungs.
Dana had a congenital heart defect — a patent ductus arteriosus that led to pulmonary hypertension. As her condition progressed, lung transplantation became the only life-saving option. The surgery lasted about eight hours. First, the surgeons corrected the congenital defect by closing the duct between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and then proceeded with the lung transplantation.
After surgery, Dana regained consciousness quickly and began breathing on her own. During rehabilitation, she was already able to go outside for short walks and gradually regained strength — and today, she is preparing to return home.
“This was the first lung transplantation for a child in Ukraine. The procedure went very well, and today Dana is going home in a very good condition. I sincerely hope she will live a long and high‑quality life. This also gives hope to patients who are currently on the waiting list for lung transplantation,” said Boris Todurov, General Director of the Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Lung transplantation: new opportunities for Ukrainian patients
Lung transplantation is one of the most complex areas of transplant medicine. These surgeries require exceptional precision, a highly specialized team, and seamless coordination at every stage — from identifying a compatible donor and organ retrieval to transportation, transplantation, and postoperative rehabilitation. Pediatric lung transplantation has additional challenges: smaller vessels and bronchi, different anatomy and physiology, and specific anesthesia and recovery protocols.
Today, 58 Ukrainians are on the waiting list for lung transplantation. Another 40 patients require a heart–lung transplant. Overall, more than 470 organ transplants have already been performed in Ukraine in 2026.
Donation that gives life
Dana’s transplant became possible thanks to posthumous organ donation. The donor was an 11-year-old child whose parents consented to organ donation after brain death was confirmed. Their decision saved the lives of two children: Dana received lungs at the Heart Institute, and 11-year-old Denys received a heart at the Center for Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.
This story highlights the critical importance of developing a strong system of posthumous organ donation in Ukraine. For patients with severe diseases, transplantation is often the only chance to continue living.