Key Facts
• On August 5, a heart-lung transplant was performed at University of Tokyo Hospital.
• The donor was a brain-dead woman in her 20s; the recipient was also in her 20s.
• This was the hospital’s first such procedure and the fourth case in Japan.
• The recipient suffered from restrictive cardiomyopathy and pulmonary hypertension.
• The surgery began early morning and concluded after 11 a.m. on August 5.
• The recipient’s condition is stable post-surgery.
• The donor’s liver was also transplanted into a patient in their 50s with late-onset liver failure.
• University of Tokyo Hospital hired seven surgeons this fiscal year to strengthen transplant care.
• Heart-lung transplants are rare globally due to their complexity and reliance on artificial heart-lung machines.
• The last such procedure in Japan occurred nine years ago, in 2016.
• As of June 2025, four patients in Japan are awaiting heart-lung transplants.
• Professors Minoru Ono (cardiac surgery) and Masaaki Sato (thoracic surgery) led the operation.
Summary
University of Tokyo Hospital successfully performed its first heart-lung transplant on August 5, marking Japan’s fourth such procedure. The donor, a brain-dead woman in her 20s, provided organs to a recipient of the same age suffering from restrictive cardiomyopathy and pulmonary hypertension. The surgery, which lasted until late morning, was completed using an artificial heart-lung machine due to its high complexity. The recipient is now in stable condition. Additionally, the donor’s liver was transplanted into a patient in their 50s with liver failure. To address organ transplant challenges, the hospital strengthened its medical team this fiscal year by hiring seven surgeons. Globally rare, heart-lung transplants were last performed in Japan in 2016. Currently, four patients in Japan are awaiting similar procedures. Professors Minoru Ono and Masaaki Sato emphasized the importance of the hospital’s enhanced capabilities in achieving this milestone.
