Pediatric lung transplantation: promise being realized
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
Orthotopic Left Lung Transplantation in Rats
Published on: July 3, 2025
Carol Conrad1, David N Cornfield
1aDivision of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine bDivision of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Insights
Pediatric lung transplantation is a viable option for children with end-stage lung disease, offering significant survival benefits and improved quality of life. This review aids pediatricians in counseling families about this complex but rewarding treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Transplant Medicine
Background:
- Lung transplantation is an established treatment for pediatric end-stage lung disease.
- Outcomes in children are comparable to adult lung transplant recipients.
- Misconceptions can delay appropriate referrals to specialized centers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide primary pediatricians with updated information on pediatric lung transplantation.
- To address common misconceptions regarding outcomes and referral criteria.
- To guide pediatricians in counseling families about treatment options for end-stage pulmonary or cardiovascular disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of current guidelines and outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation.
- Discussion of organ allocation, treatment protocols, and survival data.
- Synthesis of information for primary care physicians.
Main Results:
- Lung transplantation is a beneficial treatment option for children with end-stage lung disease.
- The procedure offers substantial survival advantages.
- Quality of life is significantly enhanced for pediatric recipients and their families.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric lung transplantation is a complex but highly effective treatment.
- It provides a significant survival benefit and improved quality of life.
- This review serves as a comprehensive resource for pediatricians considering lung transplant for their patients.
Purpose Of Review:
Lung transplantation for infants and children is an accepted but rarely exercised option for the treatment of end-stage lung disease, with outcomes equivalent to those for adults. However, widespread misconceptions regarding pediatric outcomes often confound timely and appropriate referral to specialty centers. We present the updated information for primary pediatricians to utilize when counseling families with children confronted by progressive end-stage pulmonary or cardiovascular disease.
Recent Findings:
We provide general guidelines to consider for referral, and discuss allocation of organs in children, information regarding standard treatment protocols, and survival outcomes.
Summary:
Lung transplantation is a worthwhile treatment option to consider in children with end-stage lung disease. The treatment is complex, but lung transplant provides substantial survival benefit and markedly improved quality of life for children and their families. This timely review provides comprehensive information for pediatricians who are considering options for treatment of children with end-stage lung disease.
