Lung Transplantation - Qualifying Conditions

Qualifying Conditions

Lung transplantation is the therapeutic measure of last resort for patients with end-stage lung disease who have exhausted all other available treatments without improvement. A variety of conditions may make such surgery necessary. As of 2005, the most common reasons for lung transplantation in the United States were:

• 27% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema;
• 16% idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis;
• 14% cystic fibrosis;
• 12% idiopathic (formerly known as "primary") pulmonary hypertension;
• 5% alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency;
• 2% replacing previously transplanted lungs that have since failed;
• 24% other causes, including bronchiectasis and sarcoidosis.