AI translation of article on MedUni, Vienna, Austria news, available in German at this link
Vienna, February 25, 2026 – In January 2026, eight lung transplant recipients and their companions from five nations, together with a medical team from MedUni Vienna, climbed Aconcagua (6,961 meters) in Argentina – the highest peak in the Americas. During the expedition, they received medical care and underwent examinations; the data collected is now being scientifically evaluated at MedUni Vienna. After returning to their home countries following this athletic and medical achievement, patients and doctors reported on their experiences at a press conference.
Following Kilimanjaro in 2017 and Jebel Toubkal in 2019, Aconcagua 2026 was the third high-altitude expedition for lung transplant patients, initiated, organized, and accompanied by pulmonologist Peter Jaksch (University Clinic for Thoracic Surgery). The central goal of these tours is to make visible the capabilities of people after organ transplantation: “Lung transplant recipients are often perceived in public as permanently limited. The expedition shows a different picture: carefully selected patients are physically resilient, adaptable, and capable of performing even under extreme conditions – scientifically supervised and medically secured,” says Jaksch.
Of the eight participating lung transplant recipients from Austria, Switzerland, the USA, Croatia, and Denmark, as well as one liver transplant recipient from Switzerland, the majority reached heights of over 5,500 meters together with their support team – all without the use of supplemental oxygen. Helmut Steigersdorfer was the only patient to reach the summit of Aconcagua, accompanied by eight team members. He had received a donor lung at Vienna General Hospital in 2002: “I wanted to show what’s possible under controlled conditions with a lung transplanted 24 years ago, and thereby give hope and confidence,” says the 50-year-old about his motivation for participation. The summit victory was for him an “extraordinary experience – physically, mentally, but also humanly.” Steigersdorfer had no fear of medical complications: “With such a concentration of competent doctors on the mountain – I didn’t need additional insurance.”
Athletic Challenge and Scientific Field Laboratory The medical monitoring of participants and scientific accompaniment of the expedition was carried out primarily by a medical team from MedUni Vienna. “The expedition was not only an extraordinary athletic challenge, but above all a scientific field laboratory under real conditions,” says Jakob Mühlbacher (University Clinic for General Surgery), who supported the expedition organizationally and medically. The comprehensive examinations not only closely monitored the climbers’ health status but also gathered valuable data for research.
Through regular blood gas analyses, for example, they measured how well the body and especially the transplanted lung work under oxygen deficiency at high altitude. In addition to other values, stool and saliva samples were collected before and after the expedition, along with immunological markers. AI-supported evaluation models were also used to analyze lung function and stress adaptation. Daily digital documentation was conducted through a structured system that recorded vital parameters, heart rate variability, oxygen saturation, and standardized values as possible indicators of acute altitude sickness.
Summit Success Shows Potential of Modern Transplant Medicine No medical emergencies occurred during the Aconcagua expedition. “During the ascent, several participants – both transplanted and non-transplanted – experienced expected symptoms of acute altitude sickness, including headaches, sleep disorders, and nausea,” reports Clemens Aigner, head of the University Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, who also reached the summit as a member of the medical-scientific support team. The symptoms were medically well-controlled and did not lead to life-threatening situations. Aigner: “The successful expedition stands symbolically for the potential of modern transplant medicine. Such projects make visible what achievements and quality of life are possible after successful lung transplantation – and what role the interplay of surgical expertise and long-term follow-up care plays in this.”
“For me, the project represents courage, team spirit, and trust – in myself, in my body, and in the people by my side,” says Stefanie Krenmayer (31) from Upper Austria, who has been living with a transplanted lung since 2016. That she made it to over 5,500 meters on Aconcagua fills her with “pride and gratitude.” Stefanie Eigner from Vienna, born in 1984, who underwent lung transplantation at Vienna General Hospital in 2017, expresses it similarly: “Joy and pride in my achievement and that of my fellow climbers made this journey something very special. With my participation, I wanted not only to prove to myself what I can accomplish, but also to inspire others to live an active life and not be afraid of lung transplantation.”
With 100 to 110 lung transplantations annually, the University Clinic for Thoracic Surgery at MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital ranks among the ten leading centers in this field worldwide. The procedure often represents the last life-saving treatment option for patients with severe lung diseases. Despite major medical advances, long-term follow-up care remains crucial, particularly regarding immunosuppression, infection prophylaxis, and possible rejection reactions.
The high-altitude expeditions with lung transplant recipients organized by MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital provide valuable insights for research and development in transplant medicine.
Photo credit: MedUni Vienna News
