First Vaper To Get Double Lung Transplant Is A Teenager

Having unsightly lungs due to old age or some vices could be normal for doctors. However, one teenager topped the list, albeit in a negative way. The teen’s lungs shocked the senses of the doctor and described them as so badly damaged.

The 17-year-old teen remains anonymous; however, as per NYPost, the teen was the first vaper to get a double lung transplant. The said the teen was a former high school athlete.

Badly-Damaged Lungs

Dr. Hassan Nemeh, the teen’s doctor, said that what he saw in the lungs of the former athlete was something that he has not seen before. He also added that he has “been doing lung transplants for over 20 years.” Nemeh even stated that it was an “evil,” which he has not ever faced before. This was what Nemeh revealed at the Henry Ford System hospital during a press conference that centered on the teen’s condition.

The case of the teen was somewhat complicated. According to reports, he was initially hospitalized at Ascension St. John Hospital because of what was thought of as pneumonia. He was then moved to the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and there was hooked up to life support. When his condition did not improve, it was then that the Henry Ford doctors stepped in.

Nemeh was one of those who operated on the teenager. If they had not done the operation, it could have only been a matter of days before the teen would die. The cause, as identified by the doctors, was “vaping-induced damage.”

Side Effects Of Vaping

According to Medicine Health, the number of cases of respiratory illness increased in the last quarter of 2019. The CDC stated that these illnesses show symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, nausea, cough, and chest pain. As per their report, in September 2019, six already died due to “vaping lung disease.”

It cannot be said whether vaping is safe or unsafe. This is why the CDC advised that while studies are still ongoing as to the side effects of vaping, it is safer not to use them. It also identified three groups who must not use e-cigarettes regardless of the investigation. These are the youth, pregnant women, and young adults.