Lung transplantation and pulmonary hypertension.
The presence of pulmonary hypertension affects lung transplantation in multiple ways, from patient selection, transplant risks, type of transplant, intraoperative management, to transplant outcome. A working knowledge of natural disease progression, the latest medical treatment options, and transplant outcome is critical in patient selection, and a good understanding of the transplant process, including the new transplant allocation system, is important for physicians involved in the care of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The complexity of these factors underscores the importance of good communication between referring physicians and transplant centers.