The lung transplant program at UI Hospitals and Clinics is part of a comprehensive lung service dedicated to providing the most advanced treatment options to patients with advanced lung disease.
The current lung transplant program--the only lung transplant program in Iowa--has recorded exceptional outcomes while performing both single and bilateral transplant procedures. The same team follows each patient throughout his or her post-transplant course to assure continuity of care. The team works tirelessly to prolong and dramatically improve each patient's quality of life.
University of Iowa's lung transplant patients have survival rates well above the national averages, despite transplanting very complicated patients.
Our team of specialists focuses on the total well-being of each patient before, during and after the transplant. This team includes internationally recognized members who play leadership roles in the United Network for Organ Sharing, the American Society of Transplant Physicians and the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant.
Common indications for a lung transplant:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Scarred lung tissue (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Inflammation of the lungs
- Flabby airways (bronchiectasis)
- High blood pressure of the arteries of the lungs
- Genetic disorder that can cause lung disease (alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency)
UI surgeons also perform lung volume reduction surgery using both conventional and minimally invasive thoracoscopic techniques as an alternative therapy for selected emphysema patients. During the procedure, the patient's lung size is reduced making it easier to breathe.
Learn more about lung transplants by reading about April, a successful lung transplant recipient with cystic fibrosis.