Lung Transplant | Pre- and Post-Transplant Care

A multidisciplinary approach to determining lung transplant candidacy

Multidisciplinary selection committee

After completing all testing and evaluation requirements, your case will be submitted to the Pulmonary Selection Committee. The committee is comprised of a multidisciplinary team that includes transplant physicians, transplant surgeons, nursing coordinators, social workers, transplant pharmacists, financial coordinators, nutritionists, and others involved in lung transplantation. Determine whether lung transplant surgery is safe for you. We will also discuss your post-transplant care plan. It will take approximately 1-2 weeks for your case to be reviewed. The transplant coordinator will inform you of the committee’s decisions and plans.

If you are accepted for a lung transplant, your name and other important medical information will be entered into the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database and added to a waiting list. This national computerized list is maintained to ensure fair and equitable distribution of donated organs.

Prioritization of transplant candidates

We follow the UNOS system for prioritizing transplant candidates. For this system to work, it relies on an organ procurement organization called an OPO. OPO matches and distributes donated organs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. His OPO in our area is Donor Alliance (DA). The DA is responsible for organ coordination, collection, and distribution in Colorado and Wyoming.