Survival Rates For Lung Transplant Patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

A successful lung transplant depends on:

  • Properly evaluating the person receiving the donated lung

  • Properly matching the lung donor to the person receiving the lung to assure compatibility between them

  • Expertise in the surgical procedures needed to remove the failing lung and replace it with a donated lung

  • Ongoing monitoring after a lung transplant to prevent rejection of the donated lung or infections.
To measure the quality of care provided to lung transplant patients, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center examines one-month, one-year and three-year survival rates. These measures are compared against national averages.

The length of time that a lung transplant patient survives after surgery is a key measure of a quality outcome in lung transplant surgery. At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, one-month, one-year and three-year survival rates are tracked for lung transplant patients. These statistics are compared to national averages collected by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

The table below compares key outcome measurements for lung transplants done at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with those for the nation as a whole. Both the numbers and percentages of lung transplant patients surviving one month, one year and three years are highlighted.

In addition, survival rates for lung transplant patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are also compared to expected survival rates based on national experience and to survival rates expected for lung transplant patients with similar ages and health conditions.

The data in the table below reflect patients age 12 and older. The one-month and one-year survival rates reflect patients receiving their first transplant between Jan. 1, 2004 and June 30, 2006. The three-year survival rates reflect patients receiving their first transplant between Jan. 1, 2002 and June 30, 2004.

Lung Transplant (Patients Age 12+) Cedars-Sinai Medical Center U.S. Data
Patient Survival for: 1 Month 1 Year 3 Years 1 Month 1 Year 3 Years
For transplants performed Jan 2004 - June 2006 Jan 2004 - June 2006 Jan 2002 - June 2004 Jan 2004 - June 2006 Jan 2004 - June 2006 Jan 2002 - June 2004
Number of transplants* 34 34 14 3,121 3,121 2,538
Percent of patients surviving at the end of period observed** 94.12% 76.91% 64.29% 96.09% 83.88% 67.85%
Expected, based on national experience*** 93.52% 76.91% 59.69%
Cedars-Sinai's survival rates compared to what is expected for similar patients Not significantly different (a) Not significantly different (a) Not significantly different (a)

* Transplants during the time period indicated in the row above.

** Observed survival rates use the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate outcomes for patients for whom complete follow-up is not expected. Because different cohorts are followed for each time period, it is possible for the reported three-year survival to exceed one-year survival.

*** The survival rate that would be expected for the patients served by this center, given the characteristic mix of the recipient and donor (age, disease and blood type, etc.) and the experience of similar patients in the United States as a whole.

(a) This difference could plausibly be just a chance occurrence.