Chief: Alessandro Bertani

Lung transplantation is elective therapy for end-stage respiratory failure secondary to a number of severe chronic diseases.

Pathologies with indication for lung transplant:

• Cystic fibrosis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Rheumatologic and autoimmune diseases localized in the lung
• Other rare diseases

ISMETT is the only lung transplant center in southern Italy organized to satisfy all the needs of the patients who undergo transplant assessment, from diagnosis to surgery and post-op follow up.
Transplant surgeries are performed with the most advanced techniques. The Unit is provided with an ECMO program (extracorporeal respiratory support), and a lung “reconditioning” technology (EVLP) in order to increase organ availability for the purpose of transplantation. Single, double, lobar, and combined (lung-liver, lung-kidney, lung-heart) transplants can be performed.

Pediatric patients are also assessed and transplanted.

The Unit can provide assessment for a living-related lung transplant for all patients who are candidates for lung transplantation. Pulmonary transplantation requires complex multidisciplinary organization; the transplant program is supported by specific specialists’ skills, including those of surgeons, pneumologists, intensive care physicians, infectivologists, and all relevant clinical staff.

Patients who need to start a transplant assessment process are evaluated in the OPC for a first eligibility opinion and all pre-operative exams. The most complex or urgent cases are evaluated directly with the physicians of reference.