• An epidural catheter will be used for some patients before surgery and other patients after surgery. The surgeon will decide the timing of this catheter placement. The catheter is for pain management after surgery.
Timing of your lung transplant surgery can vary. There are many factors that influence when your lung transplant surgery will occur. You could go to surgery very soon after arriving to the ICU or you may wait many hours before your surgery. Our center needs to evaluate you and have you ready to proceed with surgery as soon as possible. A delay does not necessarily mean there is a problem. Timing of the surgery will be coordinated with the recovery of donor organs.
Testing is performed on the donor to assure the lungs are healthy for transplant. Our surgeons typically travel to the donor hospital to recover the lungs for transplant. Lung transplant travel distance is limited as lungs have a shorter preservation time between donor and recipient than other organs. Our center will cross state lines to recover lungs. Our center uses ground, helicopter, and airplane transportation to recover lungs from other hospitals.