Heart-Lung Transplant Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a heart-lung transplant, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Infection
• Rejection of the donor heart or lungs
• Coronary artery disease
• Pneumonia
• Blood clots
• Bleeding
• Decreased brain functioning
• Damage to other organs, like the kidneys
• Irregular heart rate
• Anesthesia-related problems
• Infection or cancer related to taking immunosuppressive medicines
• Death

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Pre-existing heart or lung conditions
• Age: 60 or older
• Kidney or liver disease
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Infection
• Stroke
• Smoking
• Continued substance abuse or alcohol abuse
• Poor circulation
• Autoimmune disease

Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the procedure.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills—You are at increased risk for infection because of the immunosuppressive drugs.
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site
• Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe nausea or vomiting
• Increased sputum (phlegm) production
• Coughing up blood
• Waking up at night due to being short of breath
• Sudden headache or feeling faint
• Changes in weight or blood pressure
• Chest pain or sensation of your heart fluttering, missing beats, or beating erratically
• Pain, burning, urgency, frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine
• Excessive tiredness or swelling of feet

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.