Update in pulmonary medicine.

Chronic inflammation in many pulmonary diseases, such as sarcoidosis and IPF, lead to end-stage lung disease and fibrosis. In other diseases, such as chronic thromboembolic disease and emphysema, long-term complications can result in pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. Therapeutic options for end-stage lung disease are quite limited. One possible solution is lung transplantation. Although fraught with potential serious complications, including infection, rejection, and death, lung transplantation may offer overall improvement in mortality rates and quality of life.