Lung Transplant

We are proud to be recognized by ELSO as a Gold Level Center of Excellence. ELSO Centers of Excellence distinguish themselves through their processes, procedures, and systems that promote exceptional care in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Lung Transplant team has performed more than 1,100 lifesaving transplants – making our program the largest in North Texas and the second largest in the state. We consistently rank among the top 20 programs nationally.

This level of experience and expertise has resulted in outstanding outcomes. Our patients’ one- and three-year survival rates are No. 1 in North Texas and exceed the national average. We also specialize in the treatment of complex pulmonary conditions that may lead to transplantation, such as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and interstitial lung disease.

Through our transplant network located throughout Texas, we make lung transplantation more accessible for people living in Lubbock, Tyler, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Over the past year, our team has dramatically increased our telemedicine capabilities, and we continue to make waitlist additions.

What is a Lung Transplant?

Lungs enable our bodies to absorb oxygen from the air we breathe and eliminate excess carbon dioxide. This process is critical to effective breathing.

Pulmonary (lung) diseases include a number of conditions that interfere with the ability to breathe. Left untreated, lung disease can become so severe that one or both lungs no longer function, making patients very sick.

Patients with end-stage, noncancerous lung disease that cannot be managed with medications or breathing devices might be candidates for lung transplantation. This surgery replaces a diseased or damaged lung with a healthy lung from a donor. Some patients receive one lung, while others may need both. In rare cases, patients receive both a heart and lungs at the same time.

Lung transplants are usually offered when other treatments, such as medications or breathing devices, are no longer working. Although this is a major surgery with serious risks, it can significantly improve breathing and overall quality of life for patients with advanced lung disease.

Donna Birdsong: Breathing Easier After Double Lung Transplant

After a devastating battle with early COVID-19 left her lungs scarred, Donna Birdsong turned to UT Southwestern for a lifesaving double lung transplant. Now Donna is thriving, enjoying her family, and breathing in life with gratitude.

A Breath of Fresh Air After a Double Lung Transplant

Born with cystic fibrosis, Neil Herskowitz didn't think marriage and travel were in his future, especially because as an adult he couldn't walk from the couch to the bathroom without getting short of breath. But when he became a match for a double lung transplant at UT Southwestern, his life changed in ways he could never imagine.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for a Lung Transplant?

UT Southwestern’s skilled Lung Transplant team uses the most sophisticated tools and techniques to help patients with end-stage lung disease who have exhausted their other treatment options. Our experienced team of experts collaborates to deliver world-class, evidence-based care.

We also pioneer the use of leading-edge technologies to treat patients with advanced lung disease.

UT Southwestern is one of fewer than two dozen U.S. centers using ex vivo perfusion, which helps physicians more thoroughly evaluate donor lungs and aims to improve their quality – expanding the number of available healthy lungs – before they are considered for transplantation. The technology runs artificial blood through the circulatory system of a lung after it has been removed from a donor’s body, thereby extending the time that the lung is viable for evaluation and transplantation.

We also offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an established technology that is used outside the body to help diseased lungs and hearts more effectively deliver oxygen to the blood. ECMO allows patients to be mobile, which helps them remain as strong as possible while they await lung transplantation.

Clinical trials help patients access the most promising new treatments before they are available to the public. Patients with lung disease should speak with their doctor to find out if taking part in a clinical trial might be right for them.

Multidisciplinary, Comprehensive Lung Care

Our team includes pulmonologists (lung doctors), surgeons, intensive care physicians, and specialized nursing staff, as well as imaging and infectious diseases specialists, transplant coordinators, social workers, nutritionists, pharmacists, and financial coordinators.

These specialists work together to provide ongoing medical management and simplify every step of the process – from support for patients awaiting lung transplants to comprehensive outpatient treatment of transplant recipients.

For our patients’ convenience, UT Southwestern has regional clinics in Lubbock and Tyler that allow us to perform an initial screening – close to patients’ homes – to see if transplant is an option for them.

What Are the Symptoms of Lung Disease?

Understanding the signs of lung disease can help patients and providers determine when it’s time to consider options such as a lung transplant. Depending on its cause and severity, symptoms may include:

Wheezing
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath
Chronic cough
Chronic mucus production
Chronic chest pain
Cough that brings up blood
Fatigue and sleepiness
A blue tint to the skin, lips, and fingernails
Confusion
Irregular heartbeat

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Lung Transplant?

Many conditions can cause the lungs to fail – including issues that impact the internal structures that facilitate breathing, such as the muscles, arteries, bones, and nerves. However, lung transplantation is typically appropriate only for people whose conditions originate in the lungs themselves. These include:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which comprises emphysema and chronic bronchitis
Severe lung injuries, including those caused by exposure to smoke and harmful fumes
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary hypertension
Interstitial lung disease
Cystic fibrosis
Sarcoidosis

To be considered for a transplant, patients must also meet several other criteria. A lung transplant may not be appropriate if a patient:

Has an active infection or recent cancer
Has serious diseases of the heart, kidney, or liver
Cannot commit to the lifestyle changes and medications needed after transplant
Lacks a stable support system at home

We evaluate each patient individually to determine whether a transplant is a safe and appropriate option. Learn more about lung transplant evaluation.

How Can Patients Prepare for a Lung Transplant?

Patients who are approved for transplant are placed on a national waiting list. Because donor lungs are limited, it’s important for patients to stay as healthy as possible while they wait. This often includes:

Attending pulmonary rehabilitation to improve strength and breathing
Eating a balanced diet
Staying physically active
Avoiding tobacco and alcohol

Patients must also be ready to go to the hospital quickly once a donor lung becomes available.

What Can Patients Expect During Lung Transplant Recovery?

Recovery from a lung transplant is a gradual process that begins in the intensive care unit and continues for several months after leaving the hospital. Patients are closely monitored for signs of rejection or infection and must take daily medications to protect the new lung. Learn more about lung transplant recovery.

UT Southwestern Medical Center Lung Transplant Program

Meet our Lung Transplant team and learn how our multidisciplinary approach to caring for people with end-stage lung disease makes us one of the top-volume centers for lung transplant in the nation.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. See how UT Southwestern is advancing care through research and explore opportunities to participate in our clinical trials.

Transplant Mentorship Program

Transplantation can be an overwhelming and very emotional process. Having someone to talk to who has experienced every stage of the process can help. That’s the idea behind the Transplant Mentorship Program – a supportive community of people who have successfully been through, or are currently going through, the transplant journey. It is an opportunity to ask questions directly of someone who has been there and knows something of what you’re experiencing.

Interested in becoming a mentor?

Do you have the time and energy to commit to your mentee (usually 30 minutes to 1 hour a week)?
Do you reply to emails/phone calls in a timely manner (no more than 48 hours)?
Are you in a good place mentally and emotionally, a place from which you can offer sound advice to another person?
Are you a good listener?

Apply to be a mentor (PDF)

Interested in being mentored?

Are you looking for someone who has been through the transplant process and can answer your questions but understand that this person is not a medical professional or psychologist?
Are you responsive and eager for help?

Apply to be mentored (PDF)

Related Conditions and Treatments

Transplant

Comprehensive, World-Renowned Transplant Care

UT Southwestern provides the highest-quality care and helps restore patients to full and productive lives. Our transplantation teams are there for patients, from initial evaluation through the life of the organ