Lung Transplant Treatment - Services & Surgeons

To schedule an appointment with a Temple Lung Center physician, click here or call 1-800-TEMPLE-MED (1-800-836-7536).

For more information about our physicians, visit the Temple Lung Center Medical Team page.

What is a lung transplant?
Why do people need lung transplants?
How are candidates identified?
How long is the wait for a lung transplant?
What is involved in the procedure?
What is the recovery time after transplant?
What is the survival rate for lung transplant?
What will my life be like after lung transplant?

What is a lung transplant?

Lung transplantation involves surgically removing one or both diseased lungs and replacing them with healthy lungs from a human donor. Lung transplantation can dramatically improve the quality of life for patients who have severe, nonmalignant pulmonary disease and no alternative treatment options.

Why do people need lung transplants?

Lung transplants are a last-resort treatment for irreversible lung failure brought on by disease. Lung failure occurs when the lungs are damaged and unable to transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide to and away from cells, as is sometimes the case in patients with emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and a number of other diseases.

A transplant is only considered when a patient no longer benefits from any other treatment. Lung transplantation is not recommended as a treatment for lung cancer.

How are candidates identified?

To determine a patient's likelihood for a successful transplant, the patient is carefully evaluated by a team of specially trained staff. This team, which includes pulmonologists, surgeons, immunologists, nurses and social workers, will take into account the patient's physical and psychological health and suitability for major surgery. If the patient is deemed a good candidate, the patient's name is put on a national waiting list for an organ transplant.

How long is the wait for a lung transplant?

The wait for transplant can vary based upon blood type, chest size, disease severity, organ availability and the number of people waiting. This means that some people will receive a new lung after only a few months while others will be on the list for years. Currently, waiting times average less than two years.

What is involved in the procedure?

When a lung becomes available and a suitable recipient is identified and contacted, the patient must report to the hospital immediately so that the transplant team can perform a final evaluation prior to surgery. This is to ensure that the recipient is still in appropriate condition for transplantation. Once approved, the patient will then be prepared for surgery. Prior to beginning surgery, the donated organ must be examined carefully by the retrieving surgeon to determine whether it is still functioning properly. This last-minute check is important and improves the likelihood of a successful transplant. In some cases, an organ will fail inspection and the transplant will be cancelled.

Should the organ pass inspection, the transplant team will begin surgery. Depending upon the complexity of the case, surgery can last from 4 to 12 hours.

What is the recovery time after transplant?

Recovery time can vary depending upon the patient and the complexity of the procedure. Typically a transplant recipient's total hospital stay averages two to three weeks. However, some stays extend for several weeks. Soon after surgery a transplant recipient will begin education and physical rehabilitation. This will continue after the patient leaves the hospital. Transplant patients require approximately 6 to 8 weeks of recovery time.

What is the survival rate for lung transplant?

Survival rates for lung transplant recipients depend upon a variety of factors. Current survival rates are 80 percent at one year following transplantation and 60 percent at four years post transplant. Ongoing research, however, offers hope for new developments and new medications that will improve long-term survival rates.

What will my life be like after lung transplant?

For many patients, lung transplant offers a new lease on life, allowing them to resume many of the daily activities they enjoyed prior to their illness. To help get a transplant recipient back on track following surgery, the patient is required to perform a prescribed rehabilitation program. This program typically includes physical activity, breathing exercises and nutritional changes.

Transplant recipients will see their physician regularly following surgery for lung function measurements. Additionally, the patient will receive regular chest x-rays and undergo screening bronchoscopies and biopsies at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation. This is done to ensure that the patient is not rejecting the new organ. To aid in the prevention of rejection and infection, the transplant recipient must also take immunosuppressive drugs and antibiotics.

To schedule an appointment with a Temple Lung Center physician click here or call 1-800-TempleMed (1-800-836-7536).

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