Pre-transplant rehab, or “prehab”

Most lung transplant centers require you to meet certain exercise goals before they will list you for a transplant. These can include walking a predetermined distance in a given time, completing exercise classes, riding a recumbent bike and gaining or losing weight to optimize your chances for a successful recovery. These steps are often required when you are at your physical worst.

You, therefore, may need more liters of supplemental oxygen to maintain adequate saturation while resting, and even more upon heavy exertion. Your body may be tired from a forced sedentary lifestyle brought on by failing health. You will be assessed for your oxygen needs and evaluated to establish a baseline for what you can achieve before surgery. Once listed, you must continue rehabilitation at an optimal level until the day you get the call for surgery.