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Dying to Breathe
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Program Overview
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Advances in organ transplant surgery have improved the lives of many
terminally ill patients. Along with the medical success of these
procedures, however, comes a wide range of ethical and moral
decisions for doctors, patients, and their families. Through
profiles of some of the doctors and patients in the Toronto General
Hospital Lung Transplant Program, this episode of NOVA provides a
glimpse into the personal stories behind these difficult
decisions.
Each time a lung becomes available for transplant, doctors must
determine within a few hours whether the organ is suitable for
transplantation into a waiting patient. Although this surgical
procedure makes it possible for doctors to save lives, many ethical
issues have been raised as a result. This program illustrates many
of the dilemmas and obstacles involved in transplant surgery.
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