St. Luke's Lung Transplant Program

Referral phase | Pre-transplant | Transplant | Discharge & follow-up | Resuming activity | FAQs | How UNOS works

Pre-transplant phase

How long the patient waits for a lung transplant is based on various medical factors such as blood type, clinical status, length of time on the list and the type of lung transplant that is needed.

There are 3 main types of lung transplant:

Single Lung Transplant
Removal of one lung, which is replaced by a donor lung. For many people, a single lung transplant can provide 50% - 90% of normal lung function. Single lung transplant may be done for people with emphysema, pulmonary fibroids, or sarcoid, along with other diseases.

Double Lung Transplant
Removal of both lungs which are replaced by donor lungs from the same donor. A double lung transplant is usually done for people who have an infection in their lungs. It can be difficult to find two healthy lungs from a single donor, often forcing double lung transplant candidates to wait longer for donor lungs.

Heart-Lung Transplant
Removal of the heart and both lungs in a single operation with a heart and both lungs provided by the same donor. A patient requiring a heart-lung transplant may have to wait longer then a standard lung transplant patient because of the difficulty in finding a healthy heart and lungs from a single donor.

Pre-transplant candidates are treated by the transplant team to keep them as healthy as possible while awaiting transplantation. They are regularly scheduled for visits with their transplant physician and transplant nurse coordinator to monitor their health status and to receive the emotional and practical support that often is needed during the difficult waiting period.

The wait for a matching lung can vary from a few days to a few years. As patients move to the top of the UNOS list, they are provided with an electronic pager and specific instructions to prepare for their surgery.

To learn more, click here or call 414-646-5410.