Lung Disease

Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

This is the most common cause of inherited lung disease in the Caucasian population. Ninety-five percent of this population dies of progressive respiratory failure. The majority of these patients will ultimately require lung transplantation by the age of 30. CF does not recur in the transplanted lung.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)

Approximately 100,000 Americans die from emphysema every year. This is the most common indication for lung transplant in the country.

Patients should be referred for lung transplant evaluation when they have failed medical therapy and when their forced expiratory volume (FEV-1) is less than 25 percent of the predicted value.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AIAD) is the inherited form of COPD and accounts for 1 percent of all patients afflicted with COPD.

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

The majority of these patients fail medical therapy. In general, they should be referred for lung transplant evaluation when they require oxygen or when their forced vital capacity is less than 60 percents of the predicted value.

Chronic Rejection

Fifty percent of lung transplant recipients have chronic rejection five years after their lung transplant. These patients should be considered for a re-transplant operation when their FEV-1 is less than 25 percent of the predicted value. Single lung transplantation is the procedure of choice. The indications for lung transplantation change as technology evolves and alternate or adjunct therapies become available.

The UF Health Lung Transplant Center team performs many re-transplant operations and now transplants many patients with conditions previously considered contraindications to transplantation.