During the transplant, our surgical team puts the patient under general anesthesia before removing the diseased lung through an incision in the chest, side, or armpit.
The surgeon then places the healthy, carefully evaluated donor lung into the patient’s chest cavity and attaches it to the trachea and appropriate blood vessels.
The transplant surgery typically takes four to eight hours. Most patients spend one to three weeks in the hospital, depending on how quickly they can breathe properly without assistance and recover overall.
Lung transplant recipients must take immunosuppressive medications for the rest of their lives, exercise regularly, eat a healthful diet, forego smoking and alcohol, and see their transplant team regularly.
Many patients can return to normal, active lives within six to 12 months after lung transplantation.
