You can call (352) 265-8940 to make a referral the to lung transplant program at the Shands Transplant Center at the University of Florida. The lung transplant evaluation at the Shands Transplant Center at UF consists of a thorough examination of the transplant candidate's medical, psychosocial, nutritional and physical condition. The evaluation is generally performed on a two-to-three day outpatient basis. An effort is made not to duplicate studies already performed at the referring institutions. Help with overnight arrangements is available through Shands at UF Patient and Family Services.

Lung transplant evaluations include:

• Pulmonary function tests
• Arterial blood gas evaluation
• Echocardiogram
• Right and left cardiac catheterization (if over 45 years old)
• Computerized tomographic (CT) scan
• Blood tests to evaluate kidney and liver status
• 24-hour urine collection for patients with proteinuria in urine
• Serologic tests determine exposure to various microbes
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) test
• Nutritional evaluations
• Psychosocial evaluations
• Physical therapy evaluations
• Cognitive tests

The various tests in the lung transplant evaluation measure the ability of each patient's body to accept a new lung. Various psychological measures are recorded as well to determine if each patient's personality and lifestyle supports a successful lung transplant.

Transplant candidates receive the following assessments:

• Physical therapy
• Physical endurance
• Weight maintenance
• Diet

All patients will be assessed by and advised to enroll in a local comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program at the time of listing. Patients with severe pulmonary hypertension will undergo an initial six-minute walk test but will be excluded from pulmonary rehabilitation preoperatively. Patients unable to complete pulmonary rehabilitation or showing decline in their endurance status while on the waiting list will be carefully reassessed for suitability for transplantation on an individual basis.

Waiting period
All transplant candidates will be listed with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in accordance with UNOS policies. UNOS is the organization selected to administer the federally mandated Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which was set up to collect data on organ transplantation and serve as a central resource for organ placement and transplantation policy.

Prioritization on the list will be determined by established UNOS criteria. Sometimes priority can is superseded by agreements with Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation.

Lung transplant coordinators maintain and update the list in conjunction with Lifequest, the regional OPO. Once listed, patients receive specific instructions from the lung transplant coordinator for the waiting period. Arrangements will include plans for an emergency contact (phone, beeper, family, or neighbors), travel (local or long distance) and family housing.

During this period, patients continue to be managed by their primary care physicians (referring pulmonologists) and the transplant pulmonologists. Actively listed patients will be seen in the lung transplant clinic every two to three months, depending on the severity of illness. The transplant pulmonologist will suggest changes in patient management and make appropriate recommendations to change the patient's listing status if necessary. Patients requiring hospitalization must be inpatients at Shands Hospital to have their status monitored closely and to decide on their transplant eligibility on a daily basis.

Statistics
Success rate and various other statistics regarding the Shands Transplant Center at UF are available from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients at ustransplant.org.

Information
For more information about the Shands Transplant Center Lung Transplant Program, please call (352) 265-8940.

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Make an Appointment

To make an appointment or find out more information about transplant services offered at Shands at the University of Florida, please call 352.265.8000 or toll-free 1.800.749.7424

You may also email our Consultation Center (consult@shands.ufl.edu) or use our secure online form.