TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — What is believed to be the first double lung transplant in the United States for a patient whose lungs were irreparably damaged after vaping was performed by doctors at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
Doctors discussed the case and provided an update on the male patient’s condition at a press conference Tuesday, CNN reported. The patient, who was not at the press conference, asked the hospital to inform the public about his lung damage and to show pictures to “warn others,” according to the hospital.
As of Nov. 5, there had been at least 2,051 vaping-related injuries in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 40 deaths linked with vaping-related lung damage have been reported by state health departments, CNN reported.
Health officials are trying to determine the exact cause of this lung damage. Most of the patients said they had used tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products in the past. Vitamin E acetate, an additive sometimes used in THC and other vaping products, is a likely culprit, a new CDC report released Friday said, but other factors may also play a role.
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