Where do I go after my surgery?
After your transplant surgery, you will go to the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU). How much time you spend in the CVICU is different for everyone.
You will be connected to a breathing machine, called a ventilator. You will not be able to talk while the breathing tube is in place. Once you are strong enough and able to breathe on your own, your breathing tube will be removed. You will be given extra oxygen by a face mask or nose prongs.
When you are stable, you will be transferred out of CVICU to an inpatient unit.
What can I do in the hospital after my surgery to help with my recovery?
- Follow the instructions of your healthcare team.
- Ask for medicine when you are in pain.
- Practice
deep breathing and coughing techniques.
It is important to use your incentive spirometer every hour while awake. This helps to prevent lung collapse and pneumonia. Your bedside nurse will teach you how to use the spirometer.
- Change positions in bed and keep moving your arms and legs. Moving helps to prevent problems like pneumonia, bowel problems, and blood clots. It is important to get out of bed and walk once your healthcare providers tell you it is safe to do so.
- Make sure you talk with your bedside nurse about moving safely with your lines and tubes in place.
- Work with the physiotherapist and nurses to help regain your strength.
- Work with the occupational therapist to help you get back to your daily activities.
- Work with the dietitian to increase your energy and support your healing.
- Tell your nurses and transplant team right away if you notice any changes in your condition.
You and your support person will need multiple teaching sessions in the hospital to get you ready to leave the hospital (discharge).
Your healthcare team will teach you about your new medicines and guide you as you begin taking them yourself. While you're in the hospital, you'll practice giving yourself these medicines with support from the nurses. This hands-on experience will help you understand how each medicine works and how to take it. By learning and practicing while you’re in the hospital, you'll feel more confident and prepared to manage your medicines on your own once you're home.
If you have mental health issues like depression or anxiety, it’s possible that these may get worse after your transplant. Your post-transplant team can refer you to a mental health specialist if needed. Visit
Help in Tough Times for a list of resources that you can access when you're feeling stressed or are having a difficult time.
When will I be able to leave the hospital?
After a lung transplant, everyone stays in the hospital for a different amount of time. You can expect to stay in hospital for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Some people stay in hospital up to several months.
You will leave the hospital when:
- The transplant team decides that you are medically and physically stable enough to be discharged.
- You have learned how to take your own medicines.
- You are able to recognize the signs of infection and rejection.
- You have received and read your post-transplant materials and watched the videos on
cytomegalovirus (CMV),
Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and
increased risk donors (IRD) (if applicable).
What do I need to do on the day I leave the hospital (day of discharge)?
On the day you leave the hospital, make sure you have:
- picked up your medicines from the pharmacy and reviewed them with your transplant team
- received new lab requisitions and information about where and when to get your lab tests done
- received follow-up appointment information
Your support person must be available to drive you from the hospital.
Make sure you have the following items:
- weigh scale that measures in kilograms
- thermometer that measures in Celsius
- blood pressure monitoring machine
- blood glucose monitoring machine (if needed)
- blood oximeter (finger monitor)
- notebook, app, or computer document to record your temperature, weight, blood pressure, and oxygen levels
- microspirometer (Your coordinator will give you a microspirometer and teach you how to use it once you are out of the hospital. You will need to pay for the microspirometer. Talk to your transplant team if you have concerns about the cost.)
