Preparing for or recovering from a lung transplant often comes with many questions. Below are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from patients and families.
If you don't find the information you're looking for, please contact the Nova Scotia Lung Transplant Program. We're happy to answer general questions and help direct you to additional resources when needed.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure based on your height and weight. You can calculate your BMI using an online BMI calculator or ask your family physician or nurse practitioner to help you determine it.
Research has shown that patients with a BMI over 32 have a greater risk of complications after lung transplant, including rejection. To help give you the best possible chance of a successful transplant and recovery, we ask that your BMI be 32 or below before you are considered for transplantation.
Lung transplant centres require every patient to have a support person (or support people) who can help before and after transplant surgery.
Your support person may help with grocery shopping, meal preparation, transportation, daily care, and other activities while you recover. Support people can rotate responsibilities, but someone must be available throughout your transplant journey.
Without an identified support person, you will not be eligible to be listed for a lung transplant.
There are currently four surgical lung transplant centres in Canada, located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec.
These specialized centres perform a high volume of lung transplant surgeries and have the multidisciplinary teams needed to provide comprehensive care before, during, and after transplantation.
Because there is no surgical lung transplant centre in Atlantic Canada, patients who require a lung transplant will need to temporarily relocate to access this care.
After a lung transplant, you'll need several medications to help protect your new lungs.
Two of the three primary transplant medications are available through the Victoria General Hospital Pharmacy and are covered for patients with a Nova Scotia Health Card who have received a transplant. However, many additional medications are also required and are not publicly funded unless you have prescription drug coverage.
Without medication coverage, many of these medications would be unaffordable. For this reason, patients must have prescription drug coverage before they can be accepted for lung transplantation.
Medication coverage may be available through:
The Province of Nova Scotia provides financial assistance for eligible patients who must travel outside the province to receive medical care that is not available locally.
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (LUNGNSPEI) also offers a one-time bursary of up to $1,500 to help cover eligible expenses that may not be covered through the provincial program.
Most patients have relatively few out-of-pocket expenses after available funding has been applied. If you feel you may need to fundraise, our program can provide a letter confirming that fundraising is required for transplant-related purposes.
It's completely normal to experience stress or anxiety when facing serious illness or preparing for a transplant.
If you find your anxiety is becoming difficult to manage, please speak with your healthcare team. We may recommend additional supports, including counselling with a psychologist or psychiatrist and, when appropriate, medication.
It depends.
Each transplant centre has its own eligibility criteria, including age guidelines. Some programs have upper age limits, while others—such as the Toronto program—may assess older patients on an individual basis.
Although the likelihood of being accepted generally decreases with age, it is always worth discussing your individual circumstances with your healthcare provider or our team, unless you are over the age of 80.
No.
The goal is to assess patients when they have advanced (end-stage) lung disease but are otherwise healthy enough to undergo major surgery and recover successfully.
A lung transplant is a significant operation. Patients can be referred too early, before transplantation is needed, or too late, when they are no longer well enough to benefit from surgery.
Our team often talks about finding the right "window" for transplant—when the timing is neither too early nor too late.
Division of Respirology
Department of Medicine
Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health
QEII - Halifax Infirmary Site
Suite 4449 Halifax Infirmary Building
1796 Summer Street
Halifax, NS B3H 3A7
1-902-473-6611
Contact Us
Division of Respirology
Department of Medicine
Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
1-902-473-6611
Contact Us
