Lung Transplant Information and Process

What happens after you've been referred to UPMC's Lung Transplant Program in Pittsburgh? The lung transplant process starts with a patient information review and complete evaluation to find the right treatment option for you.

We outlined the lung transplant process and procedure for you below.

Lung Transplant Patient Information Review

After the UPMC lung transplant team receives your medical records and information listed on the transplant referral checklist:

1. A transplant nurse coordinator will collect your medical history, radiology studies, recent blood work, and current physical findings.
2. The lung transplant team will review the information to determine if a transplant evaluation is appropriate.
3. If a transplant evaluation is appropriate, we will obtain insurance authorization and contact you to schedule the evaluation.

Lung Transplant Evaluation

The UPMC Lung Transplant Program works closely with the UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center to provide exceptional care and treatment for the entire spectrum of lung diseases. This includes comprehensive evaluations for transplantation.

Evaluations include diagnostic testing and consultations with:

• Transplant surgeons
• Pulmonologists at the UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center
• Transplant coordinators
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Financial coordinators
• Nutritionists
• Pharmacists
• Other specialists, as needed

These evaluations and tests can take up to five days to complete.

After the Evaluation: Selecting Transplant Candidates

A multidisciplinary team reviews each patient’s case at a selection meeting and makes decisions regarding approval of lung transplant candidates. We will notify you of our decision shortly after the evaluation.

For those patients who are either too sick or too well and are not approved for a lung transplant procedure, our transplant team can refer them to the UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center, where our expert lung specialists can provide medical therapy and additional lung disease treatment options.

Lung Transplantation: Step by Step

The UPMC Transplantation team discusses the various stage of the lung transplant process.