As a lung transplant patient at UF Health, you can expect innovative, effective, and compassionate care from a program that sets a national standard for its ability to provide unmatched care in all phases of lung transplantation.
UF Health - A leader in organ transplantation
UF Health is the national leader for liver, kidney and lung transplantation, based on data published by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
Since the program’s beginnings in 1994, our experts have performed more than 1,100 lung and multi-organ transplants, including heart-lung, lung-liver and lung-kidney transplantations. A pioneer in Florida, the UF Health Lung Transplant Program has been the source of several transplant milestones, including:
First adult and pediatric and heart-lung transplants
First re-transplant (second lung transplant in the same patient)
First transplant for ventilator-dependent patients
First transplant for COVID-19 associated respiratory failure
We continue to lead with medical expertise and access to advanced technologies, which allow us to offer world-class, multidisciplinary care. When lung transplantation is considered to be the best solution, we work with patients and their families along each step of the transplant process — from determining alternative treatment options to devising an individualized care plan.
Our commitment is reflected in outstanding outcomes. For the past several years, the UF Health Lung Transplant Program has consistently ranked in the top 10 nationwide on various quality metrics by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, or SRTR. The most recent data released in January 2024 placed us No. 1 in three-year patient survival and No. 5 in waitlist mortality among 74 lung transplant programs in the country.
What to expect
Our Patient Education section gives you information about the lung transplant process, from being evaluated as a candidate, what to expect during the procedure, and aftercare.
We offer lung transplantation services for children and adults.
Our services include:
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP): This procedure reconditions donor lungs initially considered not ideal for transplant. Therefore, EVLP expands the pool of donor lungs, allowing more lives to be saved and shortening the length of time you may have to wait for a lung.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): As a bridge to or recovery after transplant, our physicians are highly experienced with using the ECMO device to take over the lungs’ responsibility of breathing while awaiting a donor lung or for the recently transplanted lung to recover.
Hear from our patients
Theres a handful of people that I feel like were really fighting for me, like sincerely fighting for me, and its staff and its people who never knew me.
Today, more than 5,000 patients listed at Florida transplant centers await life-saving organ transplants. You have the power to Donate Life. Sign up to become and organ donor!
Community and Patient Programs: Lung transplant
Our community and patient programs provide great value to patients, families and loved ones. People can find
support, educational materials, expert consultants and more. In most instances, these programs are offered free of
charge.
Link to video assets Link to audio only assets Link to photo assets University of Florida and UF Health leaders today broke ground at UF Health Durbin Park, a…
