Inova Lung Services — Programs and Services — Lung Transplant — The Transplant Process: Going Home
Going Home
After discharge from the hospital, you will be seen regularly in the lung transplant clinic by a post-transplant nurse practitioner or a transplant pulmonologist.
The frequency of your visits depends on when you received your new lungs and your overall medical condition. Expect twice-weekly visits during the first month after transplant. In addition to monitoring your physical condition, we will provide as much information as possible to you and your family to facilitate your return to an independent and fulfilling life.
Caring for new lungs is a lot of work. Once discharged from the hospital, each day you will monitor your temperature, blood pressure, weight, lung function (through daily microspirometry sessions) and possibly blood sugar.
You must carefully follow your daily medication schedule and participate in at least 6 pulmonary rehabilitation sessions. We will schedule you for routine bronchoscopies about every 3 months during the first year so your pulmonologist can monitor the health of your new lungs by checking for infection and rejection.
Temperature
Take your temperature twice a day, before breakfast and before dinner. Record the results in your daily record. Also, take your temperature any time you feel chilled, hot or achy, as this may be the first sign of infection or rejection. Contact the transplant team if your temperature ever exceeds 99 degrees F.
Blood pressure
Take your blood pressure in the morning before breakfast and before dinner and record the results in your manual. Notify your transplant team if your blood pressure is:
- Systolic (top number) greater than 180 or less than 100
- Diastolic (bottom number) greater than 100 or less than 50
Your blood pressure machine also takes your pulse. Notify the transplant team if your pulse is greater than 140 or less than 60.
Weight
Weigh yourself every morning after you urinate and before you eat breakfast. Notify your transplant team of any weight gain greater than 3 pounds in a 24-hour period.
Lung function
While you are still in the hospital, you will be instructed to purchase an at-home microspirometer to check your lung function twice a day. (Read further instructions.)
Once home, measure your FEV1 and FVC every day at the same time and record the numbers in your daily record. You will also receive an incentive spirometer and acapella for airway clearance. Use these 3 times a day during the initial post-transplant period following discharge.
Notify your transplant team if either your FEV1 or your FVC decreases by 10% for 2 days.
Blood sugar (diabetics only)
If you were diabetic before your transplant or have developed diabetes since your surgery, you will need to monitor your blood sugar 3 to 4 times daily. Record the results in your daily record. Notify the transplant team or your endocrinologist if your blood sugar is less than 60 or greater than 350.
Bronchoscopy
This valuable monitoring and diagnostic test is performed for a number of reasons. Read more.