Lung Transplant Program

Among the Nation’s Best Lung Transplant Centers

For More Information 855-855-6484

While the lung transplant process is challenging, you can feel confident choosing Duke for your care. We have some of the shortest wait times in the nation, in part because we are aggressive in our approach to procuring donor lungs. Our lung transplant program is the largest in the U.S. based on the number of transplants performed. If lung disease has severely damaged your lungs and you are a candidate for lung transplant surgery, our team of experts can help you get your life back, unaffected by lung disease.

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Why Choose Duke

Extensive Experience

Duke surgeons have performed more than 2,500 lung transplants since our program started in 1992, which makes us the largest program in the country. We have extensive experience with people ages 65 and older and the challenges involved. We routinely perform lung transplants for people with complex illnesses, including multi-drug resistant infections, immunologic deficiencies, coronary artery disease, and valvular heart disease. Our lung transplant surgeons offer both single and double (bilateral) lung transplants.

Shorter Wait Times

The median wait time on our lung transplant list is about 15 days, compared with 58 days nationwide. Our shorter lung transplant wait times are in part due to our aggressive and innovative organ-recovery efforts. Our approach enables us to procure and successfully match more viable organs with more people who need them.

With You Every Step of the Way

Helping You Through the Process

The entire Duke lung transplant team -- including doctors and surgeons, nutritionists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and more -- is here to support you through every step of your journey. Our transplant coordinators are nurses with special training and experience in lung transplant care. They will help you navigate the transplant process and are available to answer all your questions 24/7. We provide educational care guides and many other resources to prepare you and your family for transplant. Dedicated financial coordinators work with you one-on-one to help with the financial aspects of transplantation.

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, Sara Kominsky has had two double lung transplants at Duke.

Preparing You Physically for Transplant

Evidence shows that better physical functioning going into transplant improves outcomes. That’s why pulmonary rehabilitation and physical fitness are integral parts of our lung transplant program. Our pulmonary rehabilitation program is led by respiratory and physical therapists who specialize in preparing people for lung transplant surgery and recovery. They will monitor your oxygen needs, lead you in exercises to build up your body in preparation for surgery, and teach you breathing and lung-clearing techniques to help you after transplant.

Other Duke Resources and Support

Receiving care at Duke means that you’ll have access to a wide range of experts, should you need them. These may include cardiologists, infectious disease experts, speech pathologists, and respiratory and physical therapists. You’ll also be connected with social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and others who will tend to your mental and emotional needs. We can put you in touch with former Duke lung transplant recipients who have volunteered to talk with people who are going through the process.

Ready for an Evaluation?

If you are interested in making an appointment for an evaluation, please ask your pulmonologist to submit a referral.

Lung Transplant Research

Dedicated to Improving Outcomes

We are dedicated to improving the outcomes of lung transplant recipients and know that research drives progress. Our researchers have made significant contributions to the field of lung transplantation, notably our understanding of risk factors for chronic rejection, the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and gastroesophageal reflux on lung transplant outcomes, and the different forms of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (when a transplanted lung doesn't work well due to rejection).

Understanding Infection, Rejection

We collaborate with other leading lung transplant centers to advance the understanding of infection and chronic rejection, which affect more than half of lung transplant recipients.  

Our Locations

Lung transplant surgery is performed at Duke University Hospital. Pre- and post-transplant appointments take place at our pulmonology clinic in Durham.

Expanding Donor Options

We are a leader in expanding the donor pool through advanced technologies. This includes three different perfusion and ventilation systems -- one of which is portable. These FDA-approved devices keep donor lungs viable much longer than the standard preservation process. Donated lungs are placed in a sterile plastic dome attached to a ventilator, pump, and filters. The lungs are maintained at normal body temperature and treated with a solution that contains nutrients, proteins, and oxygen. This process can reverse lung injury, remove excess fluid, and provide more time to evaluate lungs for transplantation. Advances like these can potentially expand the donor pool and increase the use of high-quality organs.

Remote, Written Second Opinion Reports

Get a written second opinion report from a Duke Health specialist in the comfort of your home. A second opinion can confirm a diagnosis, offer a different diagnosis, provide information about the most advanced treatments available, and ensure confidence in your decisions when faced with a serious medical condition. Learn more about our remote second opinion platform and process.

Virtual Video Visits

Traveling to Duke from out of state can be stressful, especially when you are not feeling your best. For your convenience, we offer video visits in many states before and after lung transplant surgery.

Best Hospital for Pulmonology and Lung Surgery in NC

Where you receive your care matters. Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why our pulmonology and lung surgery program is nationally ranked, and the highest-ranked program in North Carolina, according to U.S. News & World Report for 2023–2024.

This page was medically reviewed on 12/05/2022 by