Pioneering transplant surgery in the UK

Over the last 20 years we have pioneered the development of double lung and non-heart beating lung transplant surgery in the UK, and we performed:

• the 1st  successful infant heart transplant in the UK in 1987
• the 1st  single lung transplant in Europe in 1987
• the 1st  double lung transplant in Europe in 1990
• the 1st  non-heart beating lung transplant in the UK in 2002

Since 2003 we have developed a mechanical heart service for both children and adults, as a bridge for transplant until a suitable donor heart is available or as a bridge to recovery in suitable patients.

Transplant candidates

We will always explore alternative medical and surgical treatments before recommending transplantation. Patients referred for transplant assessment generally have one of the following conditions:

(i) End-stage Heart Failure  -  patients with severe heart failure due to the following conditions:

• ischaemic heart disease
• cardiomyopathy
• valvular heart disease
• congenital heart disease  

 The Freeman Hospital is the only transplant centre in the UK to offer heart transplants for adults with complex congenital heart disease.

 (ii) Life Threatening Lung Diseases – specific diseases potentially treatable by transplantation include:

• Obstructive Lung Disease (eg. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD or “smokers lung”), emphysema, alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency)
• Suppurative Lung Disease (eg. cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis)
• Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease (eg. idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, occupational lung fibrosis, connective tissue disease)
• Pulmonary Vascular Disease (eg. idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, Eisenmenger’s syndrome)
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
• Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Organ Donation

You can find out more about Organ Donation on our Donations Section.