How it works
1. The transplant team learns about a potential donor.
The team receives some information about the donor that helps them to decide whether the lungs are suitable for transplant. For example, the team would never use lungs from a donor with pneumonia or low oxygen levels.
If they are suitable, the team uses the information they have, like blood group and lung size, to start identifying patients on the active list who might be a good match. At this point, the lungs are still in the donor’s body.
2. The team travels to the donor's hospital to inspect the lungs in person.
The surgical team won’t know until they inspect the lungs in person whether each lung can be used at all. The lab team will look at the donor's antibodies and see if they are a match with yours.
The lungs will not be used if they are not safe to transplant—for example, severe infections, suspected cancer, issues with their structure (anatomy) or blood clots. The team is looking for the best lungs they can find, as there are already enough risks in the process.
3. The transplant coordinator will ring you to let you know there may be a suitable match.
While the team is going to the donor’s hospital, the transplant coordinator will ring you to let you know there’s a possible match. Everything needs to happen at the same time to shorten how long the lungs are outside of the body. The shorter time lungs are outside of the body, the better the surgery and long term results from a lung transplant.
You should stop eating and drinking as soon as you receive the call, so you can be ready for surgery.
4. The transplant coordinator will send an ambulance to collect you and bring you to the Mater.
Your family or care partner will need to travel separately. If the surgery does not go ahead, they will need to drive you home. Make sure you have enough oxygen with you for the journey home.
5. When you arrive to the hospital, you’ll be prepped for surgery.
As soon as you arrive at the hospital, the staff will get you ready to have surgery, and you will be asked to re-sign the consent form. You may also see the anaesthetist and start anti-rejection medication, also known as immunosuppressants.
6. You and your family will wait to hear whether the transplant will go ahead or not.
There may be delays at the donor hospital that are beyond our control. There is a lot of communication going on behind the scenes within the team and with the surgeons at the donor hospital. You will be kept informed as much as possible during this process. You will likely be waiting hours and you’ll need to be fasting, which is uncomfortable. Bring something to help distract you and pass the time.
7. You’ll either have the surgery or you’ll be sent home.
It’s important to know that there’s always a chance the surgery won’t go ahead. The transplant team will bring in more than one patient from the active list and prepare them for surgery. That way, if one patient ends up not being a suitable candidate, there is someone else who is ready to receive the lung(s). Having multiple patients on standby ensures every organ gets used, and everyone on the active list gets the best chance of receiving a transplant.
If you don’t get the transplant, the disappointment can be difficult to deal with. It is important to have a good support network of family and friends to help you through this. A psychologist may also be able to help support you.
If you go home without a transplant, you remain on the active list. You will be called back in as soon as there is another potential match, whenever that will be.
Confidentiality
If you do end up getting the transplant, you and your family must protect the confidentiality of the organ donor. Don’t post news about being called for transplant on social media.