"We are very happy that everything has gone well so far. Like all other newly transplanted patients, the Crown Princess will be admitted to Rikshospitalet for several weeks to come," says Are Holm, head of the pulmonary department at Rikshospitalet, in a press release from the Norwegian Royal Court.
The next update on Mette-Marit's health is planned in connection with her discharge from Rikshospitalet, the court states.
Patients usually remain in the intensive care unit for a day or two after the procedure before being moved to the pulmonary unit, where they then stay for about four weeks.
The last time the Crown Princess appeared in public was a month ago, during the National Day celebrations on May 17.
Prevent rejection
On June 5, it was announced that the Crown Princess had been placed on the transplant waiting list. At a press conference, heart and lung surgeon Arnt Fiane stated that one in eight transplant patients does not survive the first year.
Those who undergo such an operation must take medication for the rest of their lives to prevent rejection.
Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and her health has deteriorated since then. Patients are placed on the transplant waiting list when they are expected to live for only one to two years without surgery.
Husband supports
There have been signs recently that an operation was imminent. Among other things, Crown Prince Haakon cut short his official visit to Japan in early June and Princess Ingrid Alexandra returned home from her studies in Australia.
Crown Prince Haakon has recently made adjustments to his schedule to be able to support his wife.
On Tuesday evening, it was announced that the Norwegian Parliament had opened the way for Ingrid Alexandra to act as Haakon's deputy due to Mette-Marit's illness.
The Crown Prince Couple would like to thank everyone for the warm and friendly greetings recently.
"Your concern means a lot in the demanding situation they find themselves in," the court writes.
There has been a lot of turmoil surrounding the royal family recently. As recently as Monday, Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg Høiby was sentenced to four years in prison for several crimes, including two counts of rape.
In pulmonary fibrosis, scar tissue forms in the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe.
Pulmonary fibrosis can have different causes.
The disease can have several causes, including prolonged inhalation of harmful substances such as asbestos or dust from stone or coal.
Rheumatic diseases, such as scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis, can also affect the lungs.
How severe the symptoms are and how quickly the disease progresses varies.
There is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Treatment consists of rehabilitation programs and medications to suppress disease progression.
Sooner or later, almost all pulmonary fibrosis patients receive oxygen treatment using a small nasal cannula, first during exertion, later also at rest.
Lung transplantation may be considered for patients with rapidly progressing pulmonary fibrosis. Patients must be in otherwise good health.
Source: 1177, Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation
