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Proper nutrition plays a key role in preparing for lung transplantation. Therefore, you will also have a chance to meet with the lung transplant dietitian. During this initial interview, you will discuss your weight and weight history, the foods you typically eat, and your appetite. At this time you will also recive information about the amount of calories, protein, vitamins and minerals you will need to maintain your current nutritional status, as well as any required weight gain or weight loss. Making sure that you are within your ideal body weight range for your height helps assure that you will be in good physical condition for your pre-transplant pulmonary rehabilitation, as well as for the transplant itself. Certain patients with advanced pulmonary disease are unable to eat enough to maintain ideal body weight because of increased metabolic demands and breathlessness with eating. In such situations, it may be recommended that a feeding tube be placed in the gastrointestinal tract through the abdominal wall. This requires a small surgical procedure and allows patients to receive nutrition at night and improves nutritional status both before and after the transplant.
Proper nutrition is critical to maximize the chances of a successful transplant. Occasionally, listing for transplant will be delayed until the patient's nutritional status improves. If a patient experiences a deterioration in their nutritional status after being listed with The New England Organ Bank, that patient will be inactivated on the list until the situation is corrected.
We require all patients to have an annual flu shot, a pneumonia vaccine-known as pneumovax, up to date tetanus shots (within the last ten years) and H.influenza B. vaccine.
As a result of your lung condition, you may have developed several associated problems that need to be addressed. These include:
Evaluation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program is essential for all persons considering transplantation. It is important that you be in the best physical shape as possible at the time of your surgery. Failure to reliably participate in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program prior to lung transplantation will result in being inactivated from the list.
Lung transplantation will improve your shortness of breath and oxygen need. A comprehensive rehabilitation program will improve the other problems. Therefore, you will be introduced to the importance of exercise and activity before your transplant.
Before your surgery, you will be followed in the outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program. Here you will be evaluated and placed on an exercise program. This will include training for your respiratory muscles as well as a biking or walking program for your general conditioning. You will need to continue this program even after your transplant occurs. It is important for you to understand that failure to reliably participate in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program prior to lung transplantation will result in being inactivated from the list.
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Division of Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115