Why You Need a Lung Transplant

Surgeon with Lung X-ray People needing a lung transplant have lung problems that are getting worse despite medical treatment. The main reason you are being considered for a transplant is because your lung disease has progressed so that medication or surgery can no longer improve it. Transplantation may offer you the potential of living an independent, normal, and active life.

Some of the diseases that may be treated with lung transplantation are:

Emphysema/COPD
Cystic Fibrosis
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
Bronchiectasis
Congential Disease

The transplant team will want you to do well before, during and after your transplant. Therefore, they will usually request that you have a good support system and that you have no other health problems such as cancer, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse.

In addtion to attending to your health, the transplant team also makes sure that you receive healthy donor lungs. The donor's blood type, body size, and lung size also needs to match yours before a transplant can take place.

(Reference: University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. http://www.uwhealth.com)