Lung Transplant Program

Learning that your child needs a lung transplant can be an overwhelming experience. It is reassuring to know that St. Louis Children’s Hospital is home to the most experienced pediatric lung transplant program in the world. Performing more than 400 lung and heart-lung transplants since 1990, our highly skilled teams have decades of experience in providing compassionate care for children and their families.

Lung Transplant Program: Pioneers in Pediatric Lung Transplants

St. Louis Children's Lung Transplant program is one of the first free-standing pediatric lung transplant programs in the United States. It remains one of a few pediatric lung transplant centers able to offer lung transplants to infants. Our progressive work with infant transplantation has led to the discovery of treating genetic respiratory illnesses, allowing for survival after birth due to severe respiratory distress.

Our innovative approach allows us to care for patients who cannot be supported at other medical centers. We use extracorporeal support (external devices) to provide bridges to transplant and offer the best outcomes for the most critical of patients. Our comprehensive care team also works with patients and families to develop a strong relationship before transplantation, ensuring all aspects of care from medical intervention to psychosocial needs are met.

Our Approach to Lung Transplants

Our primary goal is to foster a successful transplant surgery to provide new lungs for your child and sustain them throughout their active lives. We are dedicated to addressing your concerns and partnering with you in your child’s care before, during, and after surgery. Our approach for successful lung transplants includes:

Engaging you and your family before your visit to emotionally prepare you for the next steps
Collaborating with your referring doctor
Assisting in the coordination of travel and lodging needs during your visit
Having our multi-disciplinary team work closely with you to prepare your child for a lung transplant
Supporting you to keep your child in optimal health while waiting for surgery
Creating an individualized pre-surgical brief on your child's case, which we review with our team of lung transplant specialists
Keeping you updated during the surgery, with pictures and texts
Providing excellent post-surgery care to rebuild your child's health and strength
Partnering with you and your child for the best post-transplant outcomes
Continued outpatient follow-up after surgery, regular phone follow-up, and coordination with your referring doctor
Preparing your child to transition to an adult transplant program by starting the readiness process years in advance to boost their success