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Woman survives 6 days with no lungs

A woman was kept alive with no lungs for six days while she waited for a transplant. It's thought to be the first operation of its kind in the world.

Melissa Benoit had developed life-threatening complications as a result of her cystic fibrosis, she said: 鈥淚n my mid-20s I started developing lung infections, and I acquired influenza with this bout which put me in respiratory distress.鈥�

In April 2016, Melissa was given hours to live, until doctors undertook the pioneering surgery which she was told had a 鈥渟mall chance鈥� of saving her life.

鈥淚 had to live on life support with no lungs for six days while I awaited suitable donor lungs. There was a lot of excitement when I came to, that, wow, this actually worked and we saved her,鈥� added Melissa.

This clip is originally from 5 live Breakfast on Saturday 28 January 2017.

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