As a transplant pulmonologist at Temple Health, I work closely with lung transplant candidates before and after their surgery. I've seen the difference lung transplantation can make in the lives of patients and their loved ones.
The most gratifying part? Seeing patients who were told they would die without a transplant go on to live full lives. They travel, play with grandkids, and fall in love with life again. Knowing I had a small part in giving them a second chance is incredibly rewarding.
That's why it was exciting to be a part of the team that performed a record 179 lung transplants in 2025. That's more than any other health system in the country has ever done in a single calendar year. It means we're offering more people than ever before a second chance to live and breathe freely again.
Since its founding in 1994, the Temple Lung Center has grown to become a national referral center for patients seeking a lung transplant and advanced lung treatments.
What makes Temple a beacon of hope? I think it comes down to these key strengths of our program.
We care for patients with very complex conditions
Many patients who come to us have an end-stage lung disease, such as advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Some also have other conditions that make lung transplantation challenging. Many of those patients have been denied at other centers. At Temple, we've built a reputation on giving these people with very complex conditions a chance they wouldn’t otherwise have.
We serve patients in our local communities in and around Philadelphia, as well as those who travel from around the country seeking expert care. Often, we see patients who are seeking second, third, and sometimes fourth opinions, and we don't automatically turn them away just because of their complexity. We talk to patients and investigate issues rather than denying them based on a chart review alone.
We successfully transplant patients considered high risk at other centers for reasons including:
Advanced age; Many lung transplant centers will turn down patients older than 70 based on their age alone — without even evaluating them. At Temple, we have no age cutoff. We've found that for a lot of people, age is just a number. Many older patients who have no other medical problems aside from their lung disease can have a good outcome.
Patients with cardiac disease; We are able to accept patients who have heart disease, which can be common for patients with advanced lung disease. We can even help some patients who need coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery at the same time as their lung transplant. Our surgeons are highly skilled at lung transplant and cardiac cases, so they will combine a CABG with a lung transplant surgery at the time of the transplant when necessary. Other centers typically won’t do that. It's just too complicated as a surgical case.
Patients with scleroderma; This condition causes scarring in the lungs and the esophagus to abnormally contract, which increases the risk of aspiration (inhaling food or liquid). Many lung transplant centers exclude these patients because of their aspiration risk, but we’re able to consider them for a transplant. These patients typically have a feeding tube for a few months, but this gives them a chance at lifesaving care.
Patients with high body mass index (BMI); Other centers may turn away patients with a BMI of 32 or more. We’re able to make an individual health assessment and offer postsurgery care to help these patients get the best outcomes.
We surround our patients with support
Led by Yoshiya Toyoda, MD, PhD, and our highly skilled surgeons, our team has gained incredible experience and expertise from performing a high volume of transplants and other surgeries.
Our multidisciplinary care team is also made up of many subspecialists, including:
- Pulmonologists
- Dedicated inpatient and outpatient nurses
- Specialized intensive care unit (ICU) teams
- Physical therapists
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Immunologists
- Nutritionists
- Financial coordinators
- And more
We all work together to care for our patients, from their initial evaluation through their surgery, recovery, and follow-up care.
In other words, you are never alone in your transplant journey at Temple. An entire team is here to answer your questions, connect you to helpful resources, and help you and your family navigate every step of this process.
Our evaluation process helps patients get on the transplant list faster
Our patients are evaluated quickly at Temple. We don’t want patients losing time waiting to see us.
The testing we use to help determine if you're a good candidate is done in about a week, and our team schedules everything. Patients meet with a surgeon, a pulmonologist, and several other members of our team. Some of these visits can be done via telehealth.
Many patients come from far away, so staying locally helps. Our out-of-town patients often stay at the Gift of Life Howie's House. I've noticed, too, that Gift of Life House creates a sense of community for patients and their families at any point in their transplant journey.
Advanced treatment options to meet the challenges of complex cases
At Temple, patients have access to many technically advanced treatment options. One example is the ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) bridge to lung transplant. ECMO is life support for the lungs. It supports critically ill patients with failing lungs, keeping them alive long enough to receive a lung transplant.
We also offer awake ECMO, which means that patients are alert, walking, and doing physical therapy while they receive ECMO support. It allows them to stay strong while waiting for their transplant.
We offer more lung transplant choices
Our program offers more single-lung transplants than double-lung transplants. At most centers, the reverse is true. Particularly in our older patients, we've found that single lung transplants offer similar outcomes, shorter surgery times, and faster recoveries. Many centers refuse patients who need only one lung, but we can provide that option to them.
We give our lung transplant patients a real chance by reviewing their case individually and discussing options before deciding. There’s a spirit at Temple that's unique.
Thank you, organ donors
I also want to thank those who chose to be organ donors while they were alive, as well as their families. Without their generous gifts, the hope we offer to patients who need a transplant would not be possible. Organ donation truly is an opportunity to make a difference for those waiting on the transplant list.
You can learn more about organ donation by visiting the Gift of Life Donor Program website.
Breathe better again
Our specialists at the Temple Lung Center treat advanced and end-stage lung disease with options that help people reclaim their breathing and their lives.
Call us at 800-TEMPLE-MED (800-836-7536) to make an appointment with a lung specialist or schedule an appointment online.
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