The (Double Lung) Transplant

IPF Diagnosis

A persistent coughing spell caused Kent to pass out while preparing to stand watch on deck. Once he re-gained consciousness, he was taken to the Emergency Room at Piney Point, MD. After a comprehensive evaluation, the doctor had no reason to believe Kent was sick or in poor health. In fact, he appeared to be in top physical shape!

At this point, the ER doctor advised Kent to make an appointment with a pulmonologist. The initial appointment led to a subsequent evaluation and series of tests. Coupled with the diagnosis of (interstitial lung disease) Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, came the news that Kent had between 2 - 5 years to live.

There are currently no effective treatments for Pulmonary Fibrosis. While there are a few trials testing new drugs, they are all experimental with no proven results. Oxygen is also given to patients who have low blood oxygen levels. At present, Kent utilizes supplemental oxygen 24 hours a day.  What started as an extra boost of O2 (via a small backpack) to help him through the occasional coughing spell has turned into a gaggle of tanks of various sizes, regulators, machines, masks, and tubes.

Lung transplantation is an option for some patients in the advanced stage of the disease. Based on his physical condition and stage of disease, Kent was referred to the Lung Transplant Program at Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.  After undergoing a 3-day comprehensive medical and phychological assessment, Kent was accepted as a candidate for double lung transplant in May 2008.

The “Waiting List”

Based on his pyhsical condition and stage of his disease, Kent was accepted into the Lung Transplant Program at Shands on June 17, 2008. Once a lung is available and Kent is notified, he must report to Shands within 4 hours.

Find out more about average waiting time through annual reports published by the United States Department of Health & Human Services.  Here is a report that shows a breakdown of waiting time for a lung transplant, based on age.

Once there is a deceased lung donor, a ranked list of people is computer-generated. The transplant recipient is chosen based on certain requirements, including immune markers that match the donor, lung size, length of time on the waiting list and proximity to the donor. Once a candidate is chosen, time is critical. The lung must be transplanted into the patient receiving the organ with 4 to 6 hours.

Procedure

Double lung transplants involve an incision below the breasts and take about 6-12 hours of surgery. Once the lungs are replaced, the blood vessels and airway are attached.

Post Op & Recovery

Kent will make frequent trips to Shands and have a prescribed home based rehabilitation program including physical activity, breathing exercises, nutrition and taking medications especially immunosuppressive drugs. Walking is recommended to restore strength and prevent lung complications.

Medication

Transplant recipients also have a high risk of rejection and infection. Since the transplanted lungs are considered foreign to the body, there is a risk that the body’s immune system will attack and reject the new transplant. Doctors prescribe immunosuppressive (anti-rejection) medication, which lowers immunity to prevent rejection, but also increases the risk of infection and other diseases. Rejection most often occurs the first three months after transplantation, but medication may need to be taken indefinitely.

Immunosupressive medication is extremely expensive and only covered partially by some insurance companies.  Here is a list of the medications that Kent will be requiring as part of his post-transplant recovery; many which he must take for the rest of his life.

Your contributions to Kent’s Lung Transplant fundwill help to pay for the ongoing expense of these anti-rejection medications. Find out how you can help Kent today!

Kent’s Support Group

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