Lung Transplant

As one of the oldest lung transplant programs in the country – and the only one in Tennessee – the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program provides expert care for end-stage lung disease.

Conditions We Treat

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Interstitial and fibrotic lung disease
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Other advanced lung diseases

Lung Transplant Care Team


Lung Transplant: Why Choose Vanderbilt

  • Depth of experience: Our team has performed more than 500 lung transplants and 20 combined heart-lung transplants, with survival rates exceeding nationally established benchmarks. Our specialists’ collective experience caring for all aspects of advanced lung disease and lung transplantation means the best possible care and outcome for you .
  • A team approach: Our thoracic surgeons, transplant pulmonologists, nurse practitioners and coordinators work together to provide compassionate, personalized care. We work with infectious disease specialists, transplant psychiatrists, pharmacists and more to meet your physical and emotional needs. Our team also works with heart specialists to provide lifesaving lung-heart transplants.
  • Advanced treatments: In addition to lung transplants, we offer other specialized therapies and treatments for advanced lung disease, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), lung volume reduction surgery for COPD patients who are not ready for lung transplants, and pulmonary endarterectomy for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. ECMO can help some patients recover from certain kinds of severe lung damage and perhaps avoid a lung transplant. We also use ECMO to care for extremely ill patients waiting for a transplant.
  • Short wait times: Time is critical for people in need of a lung transplant. Our wait times for patients on the active transplant list are consistently shorter than national averages. 
  • Innovative research: Our doctors develop new treatments for advanced lung disease.
  • Support services: Social  workers, transplant pharmacists and other specialists guide you through the transplant process. We also offer a unique Return-to-Work program to help you resume employment and restore your emotional and financial well-being. 

Outcomes

Overall total number of lung transplants (as of Dec 31, 2018): 507

Median wait time to transplant: 2.4 months, compared with 3.3 months nationally

3-year patient survival: 78.33%, compared with 72.52% nationally

3-year graft survival: 78.33%, compared with 70.47% nationally

Median length of hospital stay: 13 days, compared with 18 days nationally

Treatments We Offer

  • ECMO
  • Dual-organ transplant
  • Lung transplant

Locations

Vanderbilt Lung Transplant
1301 Medical Center Drive, B817
Nashville, TN 37232
(615) 936-0393
Map and Directions

Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Madison AL
460 Lanier Road, Suite 202A
Madison, AL 35758
(615) 936-0393
Map and Directions

Related Stories

Mary Kathryn Osborn’s story: A cystic fibrosis patient's life changes after a double lung transplant

Bridget Perez's story: A pulmonary fibrosis patient spent a record two and a half months in ECMO treatment. Learn how Vanderbilt nurses responded when Bridget was unable to attend her daughter's high school graduation.

For Referring Physicians

To refer a patient to the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant program, call (615) 936-0393.

You can also submit an online referral form or complete our lung transplant referral form and fax it to our transplant team at (615) 936-0396.

Supportive Care