Lung Transplantation
The Penn Lung Transplant
Program was established
in 1991. The program is the most experienced
in the Delaware Valley and one of only six centers
nationally to have performed over 300 transplant
procedures. Current survival rates at Penn meet
or exceed national averages. In recognition of
these outcomes, the program has been designated
as a Medicare-approved lung transplant center.
Care is delivered by a multidisciplinary team
experienced in the treatment of patients with
advanced lung disease. Members of the team include
transplant pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons,
nurse practitioners, cardiologists, infectious
disease specialists, physical and respiratory
therapists, nutritionists, social workers, and
a financial counselor.
In addition to transplantation,
a variety of supportive interventions appropriate
to the care of these patients are available
including vasodilator therapy for pulmonary hypertension,
lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema,
pulmonary rehabilitation, transtracheal oxygen,
novel anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agents
for the treatment of interstitial lung disease,
and non-invasive mechanical ventilatory support.
The Lung Transplant Program also runs a monthly
educational support group for patients and
their
families. Participation during both the pre-
and post-transplant phases is encouraged.
In order to be considered for lung transplantation
at Penn, a patient must be:
- 63 years of age or younger
- free of other major medical conditions
- ambulatory and able to participate in a supervised
pulmonary rehabilitation program
- completely abstinent from cigarette smoking
for a minimum of 3 months; no active alcohol
or drug abuse
- neither severely overweight nor malnourished
- free of cancer for at least 5 years (excluding
skin cancer)
- motivated, with a demonstrated record of
compliance with medications and physician visits · willing
to travel to Penn for frequent medical follow-up
and for three months of out-patient pulmonary
rehabilitation following transplantation
Major disease categories for which transplantation is currently offered include:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema,
lymphangio- leiomyomatosis, bronchiolitis obliterans)
- interstitial fibrosis (idiopathic, radiation
or drug-induced, sarcoidosis)
- cystic fibrosis and other forms of bronchiectasis
- pulmonary hypertension (primary, Eisenmenger's
syndrome, select patients with scleroderma)
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