Surgery to replace one or both damaged lungs with healthy lungs from a human donor is known as a lung transplant.

People under the age of 65 with serious lung illness may be candidates for lung transplants. In major situations, a lung transplant is performed after all other therapies for lung failure have failed.

A few examples of conditions that may necessitate a lung transplant include Congenital cardiac defects causing lung artery damage, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Emphysema, Cystic fibrosis, Pulmonary hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the lungs' arteries, Sarcoidosis, and Interstitial lung disease is characterized by swelling and scarring of the lung tissues.

Individuals who are extremely unwell or malnourished, who are regular smokers or addicted to alcohol or drugs, who have active hepatitis B, C, or are HIV positive, have had cancer within the last two years, have a lung disease that may affect the new lung, have other severe diseases, are unable to take their medications or keep up with hospital and health care visits, may not be eligible for a lung transplant.