Inova Lung Services — Programs and Services — Lung Transplant — The Transplant Process: Initial Consultation

Initial Consultation

If you are considered a potential transplant candidate after the preliminary evaluation, you are invited to the Inova Transplant Center for further assessment and to meet members of the transplant team. (Please keep in mind that while a consultation is the next important step in the transplantation process, it does not guarantee a transplant.)

During the first visit, you will see the lung transplant coordinator and a transplant pulmonologist. Before this visit, our team works to obtain and review your medical records, radiographic studies, pulmonary function tests, and where appropriate, hemodynamic data and pathology slides. Please bring originals (or copies of) CAT scan(s) and chest X-rays rather than just the reports from these tests.

The transplant coordinator explains the transplant process. Because transplantation affects caregivers as well as the patient, family members or support persons should attend.

The transplant pulmonologist performs an assessment to determine if you are a good candidate for transplantation. The assessment confirms the underlying disease process and its severity, determines that all available therapies other than transplantation have been considered or tried, and carefully looks for potential contraindications that rule out transplantation.

This process continues during the comprehensive work-up phase of the evaluation when a number of medical tests will be scheduled and performed.