The most common lung diseases for which people undergo lung transplant are:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis)

• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

• Cystic fibrosis

• Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension

The evaluation process for a lung transplant is usually long and complicated. First, a doctor refers a patient to a regional transplant center. At the transplant center, doctors, psychologists, social workers, and other staff meet with the person to gather information. This may take place on several visits occurring over many weeks or months.

Besides the patient’s lung condition, the team considers the person’s family and social support, financial situation, psychological makeup, and any other medical conditions. Numerous tests are performed during a lung transplant evaluation.

The procedure will be conducted with general anesthesia, so you will be unaware and won't feel any pain. You'll have a tube guided through your mouth and into your windpipe so that you can breathe.

Immediately after the surgery, you'll spend several days in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). A mechanical ventilator will help you breathe for a few days, and tubes in your chest will drain fluids from around your lungs and heart.

A tube in a vein will deliver strong medications to control pain and prevent rejection of your new lung. As your condition improves, you'll no longer need the mechanical ventilator, and you'll be moved out of the ICU. Recovery often involves a one to three weeks hospital stay. The amount of time you'll spend in the ICU and in the hospital can vary.

After you leave the hospital, you'll require about three months of frequent monitoring by the lung transplant team to prevent, detect and treat complications and to assess your lung function. During this time, you'll generally need to stay close to the transplant center. Afterward, the follow-up visits are usually less frequent, and it's easier to travel back and forth for follow-up visits.

Your follow-up visits may involve laboratory tests, chest X-rays, an electrocardiogram (ECG), lung function tests, a lung biopsy, and checkups with a specialist.