Vanderbilt Lung Institute

Co-led by experts in pulmonary medicine and thoracic surgery, the institute connects you with Vanderbilt specialists in all lung- and chest-related conditions. Through this unique combination of expertise, you'll receive high quality, coordinated and compassionate care, regardless of the lung condition that brings you to Vanderbilt.

We work with the Vanderbilt Transplant Center to make lung transplant possible for more patients. We use techniques that let us use donor organs not often accepted by other transplant centers, such as organs exposed to hepatitis C. We use a technique called ex-vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) to rehabilitate lungs for successful transplant. We use advanced technology, including ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) as a bridge to transplant. This approach keeps selected patients with severe disease alive until they receive transplants.

Our doctors have advanced training and experience in caring for the most complex and difficult-to-manage lung diseases and related conditions. In many cases, our work has set the standards that others follow for patients with advanced lung disease and lung transplant.

We have critical care experts and technology, including ECMO, to treat acute lung injuries and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We follow patients after long stays in intensive care to track, understand and find ways to prevent long-term physical and emotional effects of critical illness.

U.S. News & World Report ranks our pulmonology program among the top programs in the nation.

As part of an academic medical center, we are dedicated to discovery and innovation through cutting-edge research. We also train the next generation of leaders in pulmonary medicine, allergy and thoracic surgery. This gives you access to expertise and advances that may not be available elsewhere, while also helping to improve care for everyone with lung diseases.