Lung Transplant

1. What is a Lung Transplant?
A lung transplant replaces a patient's diseased lung or lungs with lungs obtained from a suitable organ donor. It can be performed as a single-lung or bilateral (double-lung) transplant.

2. When is a lung transplant recommended?
It may be considered for advanced lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, severe COPD, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary hypertension, and certain other end-stage lung conditions when expected survival and quality of life are significantly affected.

3. Who can be considered for transplantation?
Candidates undergo a detailed assessment of lung disease severity, overall health, heart function, nutritional status, infection risk, and other medical factors. Suitability is determined by a specialized transplant team.

4. What evaluation is required before transplantation?
Evaluation may include pulmonary function tests, CT scans, blood tests, cardiac assessment, infection screening, tissue and blood-group testing, and assessment of other organs. Psychosocial and nutritional evaluation may also be included.

5. How is the transplant performed?
During surgery, the diseased lung or lungs are removed and replaced with donor lungs. The surgeon connects the donor lung's airway and major blood vessels to the recipient's corresponding structures.

6. How long does lung transplant surgery take?
The duration varies according to whether one or both lungs are transplanted and the patient's condition. Complex cases may require prolonged surgery and intensive postoperative monitoring.

7. What is recovery like after a lung transplant?
Patients generally spend time in an intensive care unit followed by recovery in the transplant center. Respiratory rehabilitation, physiotherapy, nutritional support, and close monitoring are important parts of recovery.

8. What medicines are required after transplantation?
Lifelong immunosuppressive medicines are generally required to reduce the risk of rejection. Regular follow-up and monitoring are essential because these medicines can increase susceptibility to infections and cause other side effects.

9. What are the major risks of lung transplantation?
Potential complications include rejection, infection, bleeding, airway complications, blood clots, kidney problems, and other organ complications. Long-term outcomes vary depending on the underlying disease, overall health, transplant type, and postoperative course.

10. How can Medavelle help?
Medavelle can coordinate medical-record review, connect patients with appropriate transplant centers and specialists, assist with pre-transplant evaluation planning, and support international patients with treatment coordination and non-clinical logistics.