Building a Lung Transplant Program

Lung Transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage respiratory failure and provides significant benefit in terms of both quality and quantity of life. Building a lung transplant program requires significant hospital commitment, preparation, and financial support. The opportunity to setup a lung transplant program must be carefully assessed based on the regional epidemiology of diseases that lead to respiratory failure. An adequate network of referrals must be identified and sustained. For a successful program, an adequate organ donation system must be granted, together with a valid organ allocation policy that maximizes the opportunities for transplantation and minimizes waiting list mortality. The surgical and medical transplant staff must be skilled in the management of lung transplant patients and must carry specific clinical background. Together with them, clinical experts in immunology, infectious disease, pathology, anesthesia, and critical care will be the core of the transplant team. Many other ancillary clinical medical and surgical services also need to be readily available as part of a comprehensive lung transplant team. After starting a program, a quality assessment plan should be provided to support a successful continuation of the transplant activity over time. Basic, translational, and clinical outcome research on lung transplantation is the mainstay for the growth of a successful lung transplant program.