Inova Lung Services — Programs and Services — Lung Transplant — The Transplant Process: Indications
Indications
A patient may be considered for lung transplantation if he or she presents with end-stage lung disease from any of the conditions listed below and meets the age criteria.
Age criteria
- 60 to 70 for a single lung transplant
- Younger than 60 for a bilateral lung transplant
- Younger than 55 for a heart-lung transplant
Other criteria
- Conventional treatment has failed
- Life expectancy is limited (less than 2-3 years)
- Patient is at least ambulatory with oxygen to increase odds of a successful outcome
- Actively enrolled in Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Patient meets the social and psychological profile to adhere to a disciplined medical regimen
- Patient is willing to live less than 1 hour drive time from Inova Fairfax Hospital for at least eight weeks following discharge from the hospital and 4 hours drive time from Inova Fairfax Hospital for at least 3 months following discharge from the hospital
Indications for single lung transplantation
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-induced emphysema
- Pulmonary fibrosis of any cause
- Sarcoidosis
- Pulmonary langerhans cell histiocytosis (eosinophilic granuloma)
- Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)
- Bronchiolitis obliterans
- Select patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (formerly known as primary pulmonary hypertension)/Eisenmenger's syndrome
Indications for bilateral lung transplantation
- Cystic fibrosis
- Bronchiectasis
- Select COPD patients
- Select patients with pulmonary fibrosis
- Select sarcoidosis patients
- Most patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension/Eisenmenger's syndrome
Indications for heart-lung transplantation
- Eisenmenger's syndrome with irreparable cardiac defect(s) or irreversible cardiac failure
- Sarcoidosis with significant cardiac involvement