Annual Report-CTI 2020-FOR WEB | Page 30

OVERVIEW
ORGANS – LUNG

LUNG

OVERVIEW

UAB is home to one of fewer than 65 lung transplant centers in the United States and has performed more than 725 lung and heart / lung transplants since we first began doing them over 25 years ago . The UAB Lung Transplant Program provides lifesaving care for serious lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis , emphysema , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ), interstitial lung disease , idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( IPF ), pulmonary hypertension , and acute lung injury . UAB ’ s lung transplantation program continues to make significant strides in improving access for patients while building bridges between our pulmonary expertise and referring physicians .
The program has particular strengths in salvage therapy using ambulatory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO ) as a bridge to transplant in patients with fulminant heart and lung disease that is refractory to conventional medical management . In 2019 , five patients ( one of them pediatric ) received combined heart and double-lung transplants from an ambulatory ECMO bridge .
Our 20-year-old ECMO program , which is the only one in Alabama and one of the busiest in the nation , has supported more than 450 pulmonary patients in the past five years alone , The UAB ECMO program participates with the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization ( ELSO ) and in 2019 received the Gold Level Award for Excellence . The award recognizes ECMO programs worldwide that distinguish themselves by establishing processes , procedures , and systems to promote excellence and exceptional care .
28 UAB CTI Report