Transplantation Specialties
· Lung transplantation was first performed in the United States in 1963 at the University of Mississippi. Since then, the surgical technique has been modified and has resulted in longer and better outcomes.
The surgical options available for lung transplant candidates are:
· Bilateral single lung transplantation-both lungs are transplanted.
· Single lung transplantation-one lung is transplanted.
The recommended surgical procedure you will need depends on your diagnosis and the availability of organs at the time of your transplant. A heart-lung candidate will receive a heart and two lungs from one donor during one operation.
Lung transplantation may be a surgical treatment for your end-stage lung or pulmonary vascular disease. The following information will explain the transplant process. Each potential transplant candidate will complete an extensive evaluation. This information will allow the transplant team to determine if you are a surgical transplant candidate. Lung Transplantation
The operation is performed by the transplant surgeon and the surgical team. Surgery will take approximately six to ten hours. If you receive a single lung transplant, the surgeon will make an incision on the right or left side of the chest depending on which lung will be transplanted. The incision will start on the side of your chest (under your arm) and will extend up and around your side towards your head. See figure 1.
After surgery you will recover in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. You will be on the breathing machine until you are able to breathe on your own. It will take approximately 24 hours before this tube will be removed. Chest tubes will be placed during surgery to help remove air and fluid from your chest cavity. These will be removed prior to discharge. You may have these tubes in place for three to seven days.Waiting
Lung Transplantation
Once the decision has been made that you are an eligible transplant candidate, your name will be placed on the national waiting list managed by The United Network for Organ Sharing. Unfortunately, we cannot predict how long you will wait for a donor lung(s). The wait for a donor lung(s) can range from months to years. Many factors influence the actual waiting time. The matching of a donor lung will be based on the following factors:
· blood type of both the donor and recipient · height of both the donor and recipient
· waiting time of the potential recipient · your medical condition
When the transplant team is notified of an available organ, information about the medical condition and health history of the donor are obtained. The surgeon and transplant doctor will decide if the donor organ(s) are healthy. The procurement team (surgeon and nurse) will travel to the donor hospital. If the organ is deemed unsuitable for transplant, the surgery is cancelled and you will be discharged from the hospital. You will continue to wait for a suitable organ. Unfortunately, this is a frequent occurrence. However, if the surgeon and the transplant doctor decide the organ is suitable for transplantation, the organ is removed from the donor, packed in ice and transported back to the transplant hospital.
