Choosing a transplant center
What is a transplant center and how to choose it, meeting your transplant team, what to look for and questions to aid your research.
Lung or Heart-Lung Transplant
Lung or heart-lung transplantation provide an option for some individuals who are no longer responding significantly to available medical therapies for pulmonary hypertension. Transplantation may extend and improve a patient’s quality of life but requires life-long care and medications.
Lung or heart-lung transplantation is an option if you are no longer responding significantly to medical therapies, but your physician may want to discuss this with you well before you need it. Considering transplantation can be overwhelming, and the decision to get listed for a transplant is a very personal and unique process for every person. Transplantation offers a potential cure for pulmonary hypertension but also has the potential for significant complications.
Transplant types
If you’re living with PH, your transplant team will talk with you about the type of transplant that may be right for you. The type of transplant depends on your health, the condition of your heart and lungs, and other factors.
The main types of transplants used in PH patients include:
Single-Lung Transplant
In this surgery:
- The doctor removes one lung and replaces it with a donor lung.
The incision is made on the side of your chest, under your shoulder blade.
A single-lung transplant option may be used for certain PH patients, depending on your condition and the availability of donor lungs.
Double-Lung Transplant
In this surgery:
- Both lungs are replaced with donor lungs.
The incision is made across the middle of your chest, under the breasts.
The breastbone is partially divided and then wired back together after surgery.
This is the most common option for PH patients, especially if both lungs are damaged or your heart has been affected.
Heart-Lung Transplant
In this surgery:
- Both lungs and the heart are replaced at the same time.
The incision goes down the middle of your chest.
Your surgeon leaves parts of your original heart tissue to connect the new organs.
This type of transplant is less common and is typically done when both the heart and lungs are failing.
Lobar Transplant (Living Donor)
In this rare case:
- Two living donors each donate a lobe of one lung.
Both lobes are transplanted into the recipient during the same surgery.
Lobar transplants are sometimes used for children or small adults when size-matched lungs are not available.
Pediatric Transplant
What to expect when your child gets a recommendation for a lung transplant.
Transplant and your child
The transplant process
Deciding whether transplant is right for you is a process that will involve your team of medical professionals. Most candidates experience a significant waiting time between becoming listed and receiving a transplant since there are more transplant candidates than there are donor organs.
When you and your medical team have decided that it is time for you to go on the transplant waitlist, you will begin working with a transplant team to register and prepare for transplant. Your transplant team will be part of your transplant center. Once you have a team, you will get listed for a lung transplant and receive a priority score.
Many emotions may arise following the decision to be listed for transplant and while waiting to get the call that organs are available for you. It is normal to feel stressed and emotional during this time.
After listing, the next step is waiting. It is extremely important that your transplant team be able to contact you while you are waiting for an organ to become available. Your physician will be able to advise you on what type of nutrition and exercise is best for you. During the waiting period, you may also consider making legal preparations including an advanced directive and durable power of attorney.
The waiting period is also a good time to arrange for financing. Patients typically fund their transplants through several sources of funding including private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, advocacy groups and charitable organizations.
When organs are available, you will be called if you have priority over the other candidates in your area. You will then have a few hours to arrive at your transplant center.
When you are considering a transplant, you probably have questions about life afterward –what happens after surgery, what medications you need to take, how you may feel emotionally, and the chance of your body rejecting the new lung. The goal is that you will feel better and enjoy a better quality of life.
What to expect before and after your transplant
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- Composite Allocation Score
Your transplant team will conduct tests for lung transplant candidates 12 and over to develop a listing priority which takes into account severity of disease and potential for post-transplant success.
- Getting Ready for Your Transplant
Waiting for your transplant is an emotional time with lots to plan for before you get “the call.” Here’s how you can take care of your body, plan for legal and financing matters, and prepare for your hospital stay.
- After Your Lung Transplant
Life after your lung transplant: here’s what to expect after your surgery, including your hospital recovery, returning home, how to live well and reduce infection, things to do and avoid, and when to call your care team to ensure long-term transplant success.
- Medications and Transplant Rejection
Your immune system may think of your new lung(s) as a foreign object, so you’ll take immunosuppressants to keep your immune system from fighting your new lungs as well as other medications. There are common side effects and rejection symptoms to watch for.
- Adjusting to Post-Transplant Life
Receiving a new organ is a life-changing gift, but the journey through transplant and recovery can be stressful and emotional. Learn about the emotional issues to be aware of, during the recovery stages and long-term.
Video: More about lung transplantation
Transplant resources
Transplantation affects more than the patient, but also caregivers, friends and family members. PHA’s resources help navigate this complex process.