Lung transplant eligibility and evaluation

Your lung transplant process begins well before transplant surgery. The Penn Medicine lung transplant team welcomes you for a thorough evaluation that first helps determine if a lung transplant is right for you.

With more than 30 years of experience performing thousands of lung transplants, we know what to look for, even if you’ve been told your condition is complex or high-risk. We also know how to be here for you and your family through the evaluation process. We welcome your questions and stand ready with support and guidance.

Lung transplant evaluation consists of two steps: a one-day consultation appointment and a three- or four-day comprehensive evaluation.

The evaluation process includes:

Consultation

If you’re referred for a lung transplant, you meet with a transplant specialist to review your records and talk about your health. We make sure you understand what lung transplant is for, how it might help you, and what to expect. In this visit we’ll tell you whether you’re eligible or not for a lung transplant at this time. If you are eligible, you move forward with the evaluation.

Medical tests

During your evaluation, you’ll meet with a medical team including a nurse coordinator and cardiovascular surgeon. They’ll look at your medical records and conditions and decide whether transplant is the right option for you.

You’ll also have a range of imaging, laboratory, and pulmonary function tests during this three- to four-day evaluation period. Once your results are reviewed, we’ll be able to tell you whether you’re a candidate for the lung transplant waiting list.

Meetings with support specialists

We understand that a transplant affects every part of your life, so your team also includes experts who make sure you have all the resources and support you need. In addition to the medical team, you’ll also meet:

• Financial coordinator: reviews your medical coverage and finances and explains the costs associated with a transplant
• Nutritionist: educates you on diet changes to best support your health before and after transplant
• Pharmacist: explains the medications you’ll take after transplant
• Social worker: reviews your personal background, mental health, and social support to make sure you have the help you need through recovery
• Rehabilitation team: explains rehabilitation after transplant and what to expect as you recover

Results

When your testing is done and you’ve met with the entire team, we meet to review your evaluation and consider your options:

• Approval: You can take a place on the lung transplant waiting list.
• Denial: You aren’t eligible for a lung transplant.
• Not eligible at this time: Your lungs may be too healthy for a transplant right now, so we’ll continue to monitor your condition. You may become eligible in the future for a lung transplant. 

If transplant isn’t an option for you now, we work with your primary care providers and pulmonologists to find other options.