Candidate selection, timing of listing, and choice of procedure for lung transplantation

Decisions about patient selection, timing of listing, and choice of procedure are important steps in optimizing the outcome of lung transplantation. Selection of candidates for lung transplantation requires an appreciation of the effect of pretransplant patient characteristics on posttransplant outcomes. Familiarity with the natural history of the underlying disease and of disease-specific prognostic factors is essential in making decisions about when to list candidates. Decisions about transplanting 1 or 2 lungs are principally determined by the underlying disease, but in cases in which both procedures are acceptable, factors such as survival benefit, patient's age, and center-specific preferences come into play.