A person who has had a lung or heart-lung transplant is more prone to infection and illness than he was prior to the operation. Special precautions should be taken to limit the chances of his becoming sick:
- Limit visitors right after the transplant surgery.
- Ask visitors who have a cold or the flu to come back once they are well again.
- Check with the transplant team before allowing visits with infants or children.
- Keep the house clean and free of dust; change heating system air filters regularly.
- Have the transplant recipient wear a surgical mask if near a dusty environment or construction site.
- Avoid gardening or working with the soil for one year after the transplant; after that the recipient should always wear gloves and a mask when working with soil.
- Decrease close exposure to pets; don’t allow the person in your care to clean a litter box, animal cage, or the yard. Do not add new pets to the home.
- The transplant recipient should stay away from crowds for at least 3 months after the surgery and should wear a mask when going to the hospital.
- Do not let the person in your care use hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, or steam baths.
