Welcome Message
Welcome to the Lung Transplant Week at the ATS. Over the last several decades, significant improvements in lung transplant outcomes have been achieved due to changes in donor and recipient selection, use of various lung donor preservation technologies, peri-operative management and improved monitoring and management post-operative complications. 2021 served a continued major challenge to the entire health care industry, but due to the critical nature of needing to provide essential transplant services, many transplant centers continued to offer lung transplantation as an essential treatment option despite the SARS-COV-2 pandemic logistic constraints. Despite the pandemic, record number of overall transplants were performed; 41,355 in 2021 by comparison to 39,036 performed in 2020 per United Network of Organ Sharing. The number of lung transplants performed in 2021 remained approximately the same at 2,524. The need for lung transplant for patient with cystic fibrosis significantly declined with the use of sodium chloride modulator or potentiators. Survivors of COVID-19 ARDS or Pulmonary Fibrosis without signs of recovery underwent lung transplant as an option to the already known indications such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (with or without alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency), cystic fibrosis/bronchiectasis, interstitial lung diseases and pulmonary hypertension. Lung transplant programs in conjunction with organ procuring organizations are actively problem solving to allow for this critical therapeutic option that has increased needs while also addressing the health disparities that has been highlighted in 2021. Further efforts are underway to optimize remote monitoring and provide precision medicine. Advances in lung transplantation will be achieved with sharing of best practices, collaboration among different lung transplant centers and ATS PAR partners, such as the Lung Transplant Foundation. We look forward to sharing more about lung transplant during this week.
Kamyar Afshar
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program
Jennifer Mefford
Vice President, Corporate Partnerships
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Member, ATS Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR)
ATS Lung Transplant Week Partner
Founded in 2000 by brothers Albert Rose and Michael Rosenzweig, PhD, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying effective PF treatments and assisting those living with the disease. The brothers experienced firsthand the devastating effects of PF when their sister Claire passed away from the disease. Both brothers were also diagnosed with PF, and it was their vision and dedication that led to the creation of the Foundation.
