How To Treat Popcorn Lung

Lung Transplant

A lung transplant may be necessary for the most severe cases of popcorn lung. Lung transplants are usually carried out at specialist transplant centers. Once a doctor determines a transplant is the best course of action for the patient, the patient will be placed on the transplant list. It can often take months or years before a donor lung is found. Once a donor lung has been found, tests are carried out on both the donor lung and the patient to ensure it is a suitable match. If it is, the transplant procedure will be carried out under general anesthesia.

Following the operation, patients spend between one to three weeks in the hospital, and the first week of that time will likely be spent in intensive care. After patients are released from the hospital, they will need to reside close to the transplant center for the first three months due to the need for frequent follow-up appointments. Follow-up checks generally include lung function tests, chest x-rays, electrocardiogram tracings, and blood tests. A lung biopsy of the transplanted lung may also be done as part of follow-up screenings. Patients will need to take strong anti-rejection medication after their transplants, and these must be continued for the rest of the patient's life.