Heart-lung transplant - Who is suitable for a heart-lung transplant

The total number of available donor hearts and lungs is very small, so the assessment process used to decide who can have a heart-lung transplant is much stricter than for most medical treatments.

In addition, the operation places a major strain on the body, which means that in many cases the risks associated with transplantation may outweigh the potential benefits.

A person is therefore usually only considered to be a suitable candidate for having a heart-lung transplant if they are in relatively good health and have no other serious medical problems.

When a heart-lung transplant is not suitable

You will usually be considered unsuitable for having a heart-lung transplant if you:

• are over 55 years of age and have another serious health condition, such as type 2 diabetes
• have blood poisoning (sepsis)
• have active cancer
• are currently misusing alcohol or drugs
• are currently smoking
• have a long-term mental health condition, such as schizophrenia (an inability to tell the difference between reality and imagination), which means it is highly unlikely you will be able to comply with the treatment needed during the recovery period

In addition, you will usually not be offered a heart-lung transplant if you have any of the conditions listed below (although occasionally exceptions are made in special circumstances):

• HIV and AIDS – the medications you need to take after donation will lower your immunity, which could be extremely dangerous if you have HIV or AIDS
• hepatitis B and hepatitis C (two blood-borne viruses that can damage the liver)
• obesity – being very overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above
• severe diabetes that has damaged your organs
• osteoporosis (brittle bones) – many of the medications used during the recovery period can weaken your bones
• any other long-term condition that results in poor survival