Double lung transplants for adults with CF are carried out in Dublin at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and in Newcastle, England, at the Freeman Hospital. Both hospitals provide excellent surgery and care before and after the operation, which is shown in their strong success rates. Each hospital manages its own transplant waiting list.

All patients, no matter where their transplant takes place, get both pre- and post-transplant support from the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

Lung transplants are rarely needed for children with CF because there are now many other effective treatment options. If a child does need a transplant, the surgery is not done in Ireland; they are referred to a specialist transplant centre in the UK.

The Mater Hospital Lung Transplant Booklet offers clear information about every stage of the process, before the transplant, during surgery, and recovery afterward. You can find it on the Mater Hospital website or by clicking Heart and lung transplant | Mater Hospital | The Mater Hospital, which was developed with support from Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

CF doesn’t only affect the lungs — it can impact several organs in the body. As the condition progresses, some people may need transplants other than the lungs. In the past, both heart and lung transplants were often done together, but now most people only need a lung transplant. In some cases, a person with CF may need a kidney or liver transplant, even if their lungs are working well.

As pwCF are living longer, some may develop other health issues such as problems with blood sugar levels or CF-related diabetes. Diabetes care includes regular checks for kidney problems, as these can slowly get worse over time. If kidney damage becomes serious, a person may be referred for a kidney transplant.

Kidney problems can also develop in people who have already had a lung transplant. This can happen because some of the medicines used to prevent organ rejection can affect kidney health. In these cases, a person may need a kidney transplant several years after their lung transplant.

Kidney transplants in Ireland are carried out at the National Renal Transplant Centre in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. Kidneys for transplant can come from either a deceased donor or a living donor, and there’s also the option of receiving a kidney through the UK paired kidney exchange programme.

About 9% of pwCF also have liver disease, along with their lung condition. According to the 2020 Annual Report from the Cystic Fibrosis Registry of Ireland, 5% of children and 11.2% of adults with CF had non-cirrhotic liver disease.

In some people, CF-related liver disease can become serious enough to need a liver transplant, even if their lungs are still healthy. Liver transplants for adults are carried out at the National Liver and Pancreas Transplant Centre in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin.

CF Ireland provides support for people undergoing transplant assessment or transplantations.  

Please see our Grants and Supports page for details.