Pediatric Transplant Center: Becoming a Candidate for Lung Transplantation

Pediatric lung transplant patient criteria

The most common diseases that lead to pediatric lung transplantation are the following:

• Cystic fibrosis
• Bronchiolitis obliterans
• Interstitial lung disease
• Pulmonary hypertension

In many instances, pediatric lung disease also affects the function of the heart. At UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, our team of pediatric pulmonologists and pediatric cardiologists work closely to provide comprehensive care before and after lung transplantation. Sometimes, pulmonary hypertension develops because of congenital heart defects. If this is the case and the heart defects cannot be fixed with surgery, pediatric heart-lung transplantation may be an option as well.

Candidates for lung transplant

A child may be a candidate for lung transplantation if the following listed criteria are met. Please know this list is not all inclusive:

• Medical therapy or surgeries are not options for significant lung disease improvement.
• Quality of life has decreased significantly.
• High probability of death within months to two years.
• High probability of survival until transplant.
• High probability to survive the lung transplant surgery.
• High probability of returning to a near normal life.