Criteria for the Selection of a Patient with Pulmonary Fibrosis for Lung Transplantation

 

Criteria for considering a patient with pulmonary fibrosis for lung transplantation:

(1) functional Class III or IV NYHA

(2) vital capacity or total lung capacity < 60% of predicted

(3) hypoxia at rest

(4) significant secondary pulmonary hypertension

(5) increasing requirement for supplemental oxygen to prevent desaturation

(6) steady deterioration in exercise tolerance

(7) symptomatic disease unresponsive to optimum medical therapy

(8) low diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (<= 30% of predicted)

 

where:

• Vital capacity or total lung capacity may be normal in combined emphysematous-idiopathic lung disease (Smith).