UF Health one of few hospitals performing double-lung transplants for COVID-19 patients

ORLANDO, Fla. — COVID-19 can affect people in dozens of different ways.

In severe cases, the virus can damage the lungs to a point where the patient may need both lungs replaced.

The University of Florida health is one of a few hospitals in the country performing double-lung transplants for COVID-19 patients.

It’s a remarkable surgery. Not everyone qualifies for one - but one marathon runner, mother of three and intensive care unit nurse superhero did.

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Jill Hansen, 43, is healthy, athletic and, overall, in good shape.

“I don’t have any underlying issues. I don’t take medication. My blood pressure’s good, pretty active, so I’m surprised it hit me so hard,” Hansen said.

Hansen contracted COVID-19 in November. At that point, she had spent months caring for coronavirus patients as an ICU nurse in Utah. But suddenly, she found herself being cared for by her co-workers.

“Oh, they were shocked, just shocked, because you never think you’re gonna take care of one of your own,” Hansen said.

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They did everything they could, but the virus caused so much damage to her lungs she needed to be flown to Florida for treatment.

“For COVID lung disease, one of the hallmarks is that it tends to compromise both lungs,” said Dr. Tiago Machuca with UF Health.

Machuca and his team operated on Hansen and 11 other people who came to Florida in dire need of new lungs after the coronavirus critically compromised theirs.

“Their families were told that they were going to die, that they were not going to make it, that they should make arrangements,” Machuca said. “Because there was nothing else that they could offer. And somehow, they found their way to our program.”

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All 12 double-lung transplants have been successfully completed.

Hansen has also been discharged from the hospital.

“It’s a long process that I had to go through, and I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody,” she said.

It takes 10 hours for Machuca and his team to complete a double-lung transplant, and then it’s a rough road ahead for the recovery.

Cox Media Group