Lung
Patient brochure & FAQs
Find information for patients and families to understand and navigate organ donation and transplantation below:
Questions and answers for transplant candidates about:
Patient questions and resources for new lung allocation policy handout
Patient handout with answers to frequently asked questions, questions to ask your transplant coordinator, and resources for further learning.
View patient handout in English
Ver el folleto del paciente en español
Lung CAS animated explainer video
Learn how the lung Composite Allocation Score (CAS) is calculated and used in lung allocation in this brief animated video.
Watch video
Patient webinar recording
A patient webinar was held in January 2023 to help patients and caregivers prepare for the upcoming changes to lung policy.
Find recording under the patient resources section
The lungs
Functions of the lung
The lungs are a pair of highly elastic and spongy organs in the chest. They are divided into lobes, with three on the right and two on the left.
They are the main organs involved in breathing. They take in air and provide a place for oxygen to enter the blood and for carbon dioxide to leave the blood.
Lung transplant procedures
Lung transplants may involve two lungs, a single lung, or a lobe of a lung. Transplants from deceased donors usually involve one or both whole lungs. In general, the most common diseases leading to a deceased donor lung transplant are:
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Emphysema/COPD
- Cystic fibrosis
Most lung lobe transplants, while rare, have been performed for patients with cystic fibrosis. The transplants can involve two living donors who each donate a lung lobe.
Reasons for lung transplants
| Lung and heart-lung diagnosis categories | Lung and heart-lung diagnoses |
|---|---|
| Congenital Disease | Eisenmenger's Syndrome: Arterial Septal Defect Eisenmenger's Syndrome: Ventricular Septal Defect Eisenmenger's Syndrome: Multiple Congenital Anomalies Eisenmenger's Syndrome: Patent Ductus Arteriosus Eisenmenger's Syndrome: Other Specify Congenital: Other Specify |
| Emphysema/COPD | Emphysema/COPD |
| Cystic Fibrosis | Cystic Fibrosis |
| Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis | Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis |
| Primary Pulmonary Hypertension | Primary Pulmonary Hypertension |
| Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency | Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency |
| Retransplant/Graft Failure | Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Obliterative Bronchiolitis Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Other Specify Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Non-Specific Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Acute Rejection Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Primary Graft Failure Lung Retransplant/Graft Failure: Restrictive |
| Other | Sarcoidosis Lung Disease Bronchiectasis Pulmonary Fibrosis Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Obliterative Bronchiolitis (Non-Retransplant) Pulmonary Vascular Disease Occupational Lung Disease Inhalation Burns/Trauma Rheumatoid Disease |