[Lung changes after organ transplantation].

The morphological pulmonary alterations in renal transplant recipients have been investigated in the light of 62 autopsies. Apart from the predominant pulmonary edema of septic, uremic or circulatory origin, pneumonic opportunistic infections were prominent. The most important agents proved to be bacteria, cytomegalovirus and fungi. In most cases, mixed infections were observed. At autopsy, pneumocystis carinii infections appeared to be of little importance. The pathology of the pulmonary changes reflects the reduced defense inevitably following on immunosuppressive medication, which in turn is indispensable for successful transplantation.