What Is a Lung Transplant?
A lung transplant is a surgical procedure to remove one or both
diseased lungs from a patient and replace it with a healthy one from
another person. There are two types of lung transplants:
-
Cadaveric transplants: The lungs come from deceased organ
donors. The majority of lungs that are transplanted are this
type.
-
Living transplant: Healthy, non-smoking adults who are a good
match may be able to donate a part (a lobe) of one of their lungs.
Individuals who donate a part of a lung can live healthy lives with
the remaining lung tissue.
Lung Transplant: Conditions Treated
You may be a candidate for a lung transplant if you have a chronic
lung disease that is not responding well to other therapies. We
perform lung transplants on patients of all ages, from tiny newborns
to adults. Learn more about conditions
we treat and who is a candidate for a lung transplant.
Types of Lung Transplants
There are many different types of lung transplant procedures. We
will determine which procedure offers you the best outcome. Learn more
about types
of lung transplant procedures.
Lung Transplant Procedure: What to Expect
When a lung becomes available, we will begin the transplant process.
Learn more about:
Lung Transplantation: Complications
As with any procedure, complications may occur, including rejecting
the new lung. Learn more about lung
transplant complications and how we manage them.
Contact Us
- The Center for Advanced Lung Disease (ALD) provides care for
patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung
disease and more. Visit
our clinic.
What Are the Functions of the Lungs?
The lungs are a pair of cone-shaped organs made up of spongy,
pinkish-gray tissue. A membrane called the pleura surrounds them.
Lungs take up most of the space in the chest, or the thorax (the part
of the body between the base of the neck and diaphragm). The lungs
have two functions:
- Take in oxygen, which cells need to live and carry out their
normal functions
- Get rid of carbon dioxide, a waste product
of the body's cells
The two lungs are separated from each other by the mediastinum, an
area that contains:
- The heart and its large vessels
- Trachea
(windpipe)
- Esophagus
- Thymus
- Lymph
nodes
The right lung has three sections, called lobes. The left lung has
two lobes.
What Happens When We Breathe?
When you breathe:
- The air enters the body through the nose or the mouth.
- It then travels down the throat through the larynx (voice box)
and trachea (windpipe).
- Air enters the lungs through tubes
called main-stem bronchi.
- One main-stem bronchus leads to
the right lung and one to the left lung.
- In the lungs, the
main-stem bronchi divide into smaller bronchi and then into even
smaller tubes called bronchioles. Bronchioles end in tiny air sacs
called alveoli.