Recovery, care, and life after lung transplant
The care you need to start life after lung transplant
The day of your lung transplant surgery is the end of one phase of your care and the beginning of another. Through it all, our team at the Penn Medicine lung transplant program is by your side with expert medical care, compassion, and support.
As members of our transplant family, you and your loved ones are our top priority. We’re here for you whenever you need us.
Recovering from lung transplant surgery
Recovery from lung transplant surgery can be intense, both physically and emotionally. Our team has decades of experience supporting people through life after lung transplant. We’re here with expert medical care and pulmonary therapy tailored to your unique needs as well as support and resources to help you and your loved ones navigate life after transplant.
The stages of lung transplant recovery include:
After surgery, your care team transfers you to our Heart and vascular intensive care unit (HVICU), where you can reunite with your loved ones. You may be on a ventilator (breathing machine) for a few hours to a few days while your lungs recover. We closely monitor your health with special attention on your new lung and start you on medications to prevent organ rejection. Here, you’ll also add physical therapy to help you get stronger. You can expect to be in the HVICU for three to five days.
After your time in the HVICU, we move you to a “step-down” hospital room. We’ll teach you and your family about your new medications and lifestyle changes you may need to make.
If you’re ready to leave the hospital but not ready to go home, we’ll suggest inpatient rehabilitation to bridge the gap between your hospital stay and returning home.
After your hospital stay, you and a caregiver will need to stay in Philadelphia for several months. You’ll return to the Penn Transplant Institute three times a week for about 12 weeks for pulmonary therapy and medical care. We also keep a close eye on you for signs of organ rejection or medication side effects.
Your follow-up care continues for the rest of your life. We’ll be here with everything you need to stay as healthy as possible.
Managing risks after lung transplant surgery
All transplants come with risks. That’s why we have frequent follow-up visits with you to check for signs of complications, such as:
- Bleeding: Bleeding is very common after lung transplant. If necessary, you’ll have a transfusion to replace lost blood.
- Blood clots: A small percentage of people develop blood clots in the vessels entering or leaving the transplanted lung. We monitor for blood clots and can give medication to break up a clot.
- Infection: Infections are common throughout life with a transplanted lung. We take infections seriously and treat you with antibiotics as needed.
- Primary graft dysfunction: This condition happens soon after transplant if a transplanted lung doesn’t function properly. We monitor closely for primary graft dysfunction so we can intervene quickly.
What happens if a lung transplant is rejected?
We watch you for signs of lung transplant rejection, such as worsened breathing or fluid buildup. If we suspect rejection, we do a biopsy to confirm. If you do experience rejection, we’ll treat it with immunosuppressant medications.
Our doctors
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Locations
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Patient stories
New lungs, a new liver, and a new lease on life
Decades after a childhood diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, Donald traveled across the world to find transplant care he could trust at Penn Medicine.
Penn’s first COVID-19 lung transplant patient celebrates new life
Fred Rahmanian was the first patient with COVID-19 to receive a lung transplant at Penn Medicine, and the first in the state.
Back on her feet and breathing
The Penn Lung Rescue team kept Bri Iacona alive for four months with the most advanced form of life support before she could have a double lung transplant.