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Smoker's Lungs Kill War Hero Transplant Patient

Young corporal complained about 'dud' lungs

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 12, 2009 3:10 AM CDT

(Newser) – A British war hero died of a cancerous tumor after receiving "dud" lungs from a heavy smoker in a transplant operation, his wife complained in an inquest. After Iraq vet Corp. Matthew Millington was diagnosed with an incurable lung disease, he was given lungs from a dead man who had smoked 50 cigarettes a day, reports the Times of London. Immuno-suppressive drugs given to Millington for the transplant helped speed the cancer, which appeared within months of the transplant.

“All Matthew wanted was another set of lungs," his wife testified. "He said: ‘They have given me a dud pair, get me another set.'" Millington was not eligible for a second transplant because by then he had cancer from the smoker's lungs. Smokers' lungs are often used in transplants. Without them, transplant organ shortages would be more severe, hospital officials noted.

The lungs given to Corp. Matthew Millington came from a man who smoked as many as 50 cigaretts a day.
The lungs given to Corp. Matthew Millington came from a man who smoked as many as 50 cigaretts a day.   (©spratmackrel)
Corporal Matthew Millington wanted to replace his dud lungs from a smoker, but by then he had cancer.
Corporal Matthew Millington wanted to replace his "dud" lungs from a smoker, but by then he had cancer.   (©bobster855)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 20 comments
Doctor-Zaius
Dec 16, 2009 9:16 AM CST
It's wack.
RockyPneumonia
Oct 12, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
Thinker, some of us DO consider police officers, firefighters, et. al., to be heros.
divetrader
Oct 12, 2009 12:26 PM CDT
I am going to donate my body to "Bodies in Motion". My hope is I end up in some semi permanent sex act.

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