Lung Transplant Services

If you’ve been diagnosed with a life-threatening lung disease, you can find hope at UPMC. Since our lung transplant program’s inception in 1982, we have performed more than 2,500 lung and heart-lung transplants.

Our compassionate and skilled lung transplant team cares for people each day with severe lung diseases. We're one of the most recognized and experienced lung and heart-lung transplant centers in the world. This means we can accept many high-risk patients for both single and double lung transplants that other transplant centers may decline. In fact, approximately 30% of our recipients have been declined for lung transplantation at other centers.

Start Your Transplant Journey

What Is a Lung Transplant?

A lung transplant involves removing your diseased lung and replacing it with a healthy lung from a deceased donor. You may get one or two lungs during your transplant, depending on your condition. For patients with advanced lung disease, a transplant is their only long-term treatment option.

What Conditions Do We Treat? 

Lung transplant may be an option for people who have severe lung disease caused by:

• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
• Bronchiectasis.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung disease).
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Emphysema.
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• Pulmonary hypertension.
• Sarcoidosis.
• Scleroderma.

Who’s Eligible for a Lung Transplant?

You may be eligible for a lung transplant if you have a life-threatening lung condition that can’t be treated with medication or other therapies and have a life expectancy of less than three years.

You must also be:

• In good overall health.
• Cancer-free for at least five years.
• Nicotine-free for at least six months.
• Drug-free with no use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or other illicit substances.
• Willing to make healthy lifestyle changes after your transplant.

What Lung Transplant Services Do We Offer? 

We offer comprehensive lung transplant services, including pre-transplant evaluations, transplant surgery, and post-transplant follow-up care.

What Can I Expect? 

We accept physician referrals, as well as self-referrals directly from transplant candidates.

Early referral for lung transplant evaluation is crucial to improving treatment outcomes. Delaying the lung transplant evaluation allows more time for a person's disease to progress and their overall health to decline. It can also decrease their chances of being a suitable candidate for lung transplantation.

To refer a patient, complete the patient referral form (PDF) and fax to 412-864-5913.

If you have any questions about the referral process, contact us.

What happens after you are referred to UPMC?

Scheduling your lung transplant evaluation

Our lung transplant team will review your medical history to see if you might be a good lung transplant candidate.

If we think you are, we'll contact you to schedule your lung transplant evaluation.

At your lung transplant evaluation

At UPMC, we evaluate patients with traditional and complex lung conditions as well as patients requiring re-transplantation.

You'll have various diagnostic tests and meet with a number of experts from the lung transplant team, including a:

• Pulmonologist (lung specialist).
• Social worker.
• Transplant coordinator.
• Transplant financial counselor.
• Transplant surgeon.

Testing will include:

• Blood tests — To determine your blood type and check for signs of disease, infection, or other problems.
• Cardiac (heart) tests— To make sure your heart is healthy before surgery.
• Imaging tests — To assess your lung health and look for signs of other health problems.
• Pulmonary function tests — To check how well your lungs are working.
• Six-minute walking test — To see how well your lungs work during exercise.

After your lung transplant evaluation

A multidisciplinary team will review your case and decide if a lung transplant is the best option for you. We'll inform you of our decision within one week after your evaluation.

Why Choose UPMC for Lung Transplant Care?

 When you choose UPMC for lung transplant care, you will receive:

• Access to experienced, board-certified specialists — Since the program's inception in 1982, our surgeons have performed more than 2,500 lung and heart-lung transplants, exceeding the number of transplants performed at many other transplant centers.
• Outstanding transplant results — We are among the few lung transplant centers in the United States that have achieved a high transplant volume while maintaining outcomes comparable to national averages.
• Expert care for complex cases — Our talented team of lung and heart-lung transplant surgeons continues to gain vast clinical skills and expertise in the field, allowing them to accept many high-risk patients for both single and double lung transplants that other transplant centers may decline.

Contact Us

Cardiothoracic Surgery — Lung Transplantation
UPMC Presbyterian, Suite C-900
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Attn: Lung Transplant Coordinators

For patients

For more information or to schedule an appointment with the Cardiothoracic Transplantation Program, contact us by:

• Phone: 412-648-6202 or toll-free 844-548-4591. Personnel are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
• Complete our online form.

For physicians

Contact UPMC about transplant referral.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-12-09.