Indications for Transplantation
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
- Younger than 65 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
- 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 several 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)
- Lymphangiolyomyomatosis (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
- Select COPD patients (e.g., young age)
- Select sarcoidosis patients
- Bronchiectasis
- 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
