22-Year-Old Man Receives Double Lung Transplant After Vaping-Related Illness
In a shocking turn of events, a 22-year-old man named Jackson Allard from North Dakota recently underwent a double lung transplant after being on life support for 70 days. What started as a visit to the emergency room for a stomach ache quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation due to low oxygen levels. Doctors diagnosed Allard with parainfluenza, a virus that led to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The cause of his illness? Vaping.
Allard had been using e-cigarettes since he was 16 or 17 years old, but his usage had recently become more frequent and heavy. His grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt, expressed her shock at the severity of his condition, stating, “He had no idea how bad it was for him.” Allard himself admitted that he never expected to become so sick.
The relationship between vaping and lung disease is still not fully understood by scientists. However, some studies suggest that e-cigarette use can make individuals more susceptible to respiratory tract infections. Dr. Brian Keller, medical director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Lung Transplantation Program, explained that e-cigarette use can damage blood vessels and lung cells. The specific compounds in e-cigarettes that are most harmful to human health are still being investigated.
Allard’s doctors suspected that his use of e-cigarettes hindered his recovery from the initial viral infection. As his condition worsened, he was placed on a life-support device called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and transferred to M Health Fairview in Minnesota. Allard became the longest ECMO patient in the hospital’s history, facing numerous challenges along the way. He had to undergo multiple replacements of parts of the ECMO device due to blood clots, and at one point, he even experienced cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated.
Despite the grim prognosis, Allard’s condition began to improve at the end of December. He regained the ability to stand and take a few steps, much to the relief of his family. Then, on New Year’s Eve, the long-awaited call came. Doctors had found a suitable pair of lungs for Allard, and he underwent a successful transplant the following day. By January 5, he no longer required life support.
Although Allard is still on a ventilator in the ICU, he has made significant progress. With assistance, he can get in and out of bed and even walk short distances with a walker. His mother, Jaime Foertsch, shared that the nurses refer to him as a “legend and a miracle.” Allard’s journey to recovery is far from over, but his family remains hopeful that he will soon be moved to a rehabilitation facility.
Lung transplants are rare, especially for individuals under the age of 50. Out of over 2,500 lung transplants performed in the United States in 2021, only 440 were in recipients aged 18 to 49. Most vaping-related lung injuries do not require a transplant but necessitate some form of respiratory support. Dr. Keller mentioned that there have been only a few reported cases of patients requiring lung transplants after vaping.
Allard’s case joins a small group of individuals who have undergone lung transplants due to vaping-related illnesses. In 2019, a 17-year-old boy from Michigan became the first known case, followed by a 34-year-old man from Missouri in 2023. The man had a history of smoking cigarettes and vaping for nine years.
The road to recovery for Allard will be long, and he is expected to spend around six months in Minneapolis for close monitoring by his doctors. However, his family remains optimistic about his future. Hurlburt expressed her belief that Allard will regain his life and return to his loved ones. “He’s going to get his life back,” she said. “We’re going to get our Jackson back.”
This story serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with vaping. While the exact mechanisms behind vaping-related lung injuries are still being studied, it is evident that they can have severe consequences. As scientists continue to investigate the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, it is crucial for individuals, especially young people, to be aware of the risks and make informed choices about their health.
