Key points
- A lung transplant consultant will look at your referral letter and tests, and gather more information about your specific case.
- If transplant may be a good option, the team will set up an appointment with you to gather more information and go into more detail about the transplant journey.
- At any stage, the lung transplant consultant may determine that transplant isn’t a good option for you. If so, they’ll refer you back to your local respiratory consultant.
Referral
If you are referred to the Mater transplant team, a lung transplant consultant will review all of the information in the referral letter. This usually includes:
- information about your lung disease and how quickly it is changing
- what medications you're on
- pulmonary function test results
- walking test results
- other test results like blood tests, lung scans and heart scans
- information about any other health problems you may have (also called 'comorbidities')
After reviewing this, the lung transplant consultant may then contact your referring respiratory consultant for more information. They may ask you to have some tests at your local hospital to get a better understanding of your health.
If they think lung transplant might be a good option, they may set up a virtual appointment with you. This is a scheduled appointment usually by phone but sometimes by video. The lung transplant consultant will gather more information about your case. Based on this, they may then set up an outpatient appointment for you at the Mater lung transplant clinic.
“It’s important to realise that being referred for transplant does not mean you will receive a transplant. Lung transplant is not a good treatment for everyone and for some patients, it would make them sicker.”
Dr. Nicola Ronan, Lung Transplant Consultant
Transplant isn’t for everyone.
Transplant may not be a good option for everyone with lung disease. Some patients may be too unwell or have too many other health problems, so the surgery is too high risk for them. Some patients may actually be too well to make the risks of transplant worthwhile, and will be advised to wait. The lung transplant consultant will weigh up all the risks and benefits for your specific case. At any stage they may decide that it is not the best option for you, and refer you back to your local respiratory consultant.
First appointment at the Mater lung transplant clinic
At your first appointment at the Mater, you will meet the lung transplant consultant and other members of the transplant team. The purpose of this appointment is to:
- see how sick your lungs are
- understand what other health problems you have
- continue exploring whether transplant is a good treatment option for you
- discuss the risks and benefits
- help you understand what is involved
The appointment can take a few hours, so make sure you plan ahead.
Lung transplant consultant
A lung transplant consultant is a respiratory doctor that specialises in identifying people with advanced lung disease who would benefit from a lung transplant. They will discuss the whole transplant journey with you, ask a series of questions about your health and examine you physically. They will discuss the risks and benefits of a transplant, focusing specifically on you and your condition.
“Your local respiratory consultant and nurse are still your main team. Continue to attend all your appointments, and contact them if you become unwell.”
- Dr. Michelle Murray, Lung Transplant Consultant
Advanced care planning
It is possible that your health will get worse, regardless of whether you have a transplant or not. Typically your local respiratory consultant will have spoken to you about this before they refer you to the lung transplant team. The lung transplant consultant will also talk to you and your family about what your wishes may be if this were to happen. People are better able to make these decisions when they’re feeling stronger. Planning in advance, including your wishes for end of life care, will help guide your care if you become sicker. This is particularly important if you are considering or waiting for a transplant.
To learn more, go to End of life planning.
What to consider
- Remember, being referred to the Mater transplant team does not mean that you will be put on the active list for transplant. The lung transplant consultant will talk to you about whether it is a good choice for you. If they don’t recommend a transplant, they will explain the reason to your local respiratory consultant.
- The first appointment is a good opportunity to learn about the transplant process. However, going to the first appointment does not mean that you agree to move forward with a transplant. You can decide at any stage that it's not right for you.
- Patients exploring transplant as an option have advanced lung disease. Sadly, there is always a chance that they may die before receiving a transplant or that the surgery may not be successful. It is important that the transplant team can talk about this openly with you and your family.
- You may feel very emotional or even overwhelmed coming in for your first appointment. We know this and are here to support you.
Next stage: Assessment
If the lung transplant consultant thinks that a transplant may be a good option for you, they will recommend that you come into the hospital again for a full assessment. If you decide to go ahead, you will be admitted for 5 to 7 days. You will have a series of tests and meet with a number of specialists from the multidisciplinary team (MDT). To learn more, go to Inpatient transplant assessment.