Gurugram, April 16, 2026.

Sunita Devi, a housewife, loved cooking for her family. She could often be found in the kitchen, peering into the daal to see if it was ready, waiting for just the perfect moment to add tadka with red chillies, or patiently roasting the brinjal on her stovetop for making bharta.

One day she developed a cough that would not go away. Sunita tried everything -- cough syrup, ginger tea, kaada -- but nothing made it better. Walking just a few steps left her gasping, and even talking was tiring. Finally, her family took her to hospital, and after a few tests, the doctor confirmed the grim prognosis -- Sunita had very severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and suggested she go in for a lung transplant, a procedure in which a damaged lung is replaced with a healthy one.

Medanta – The Medicity, named India’s best hospital by Newsweek in 2026, features a cutting-edge Institute of Lung Transplantation with a multidisciplinary team of chest surgeons. Led by Dr. Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery, Medanta, the team practices a multimodal approach that offers comprehensive care to the patient, right from initial assessment to post-transplant treatment and rehabilitation.

A lung transplant is often the final option for people suffering from end-stage lung diseases such as very severe I.L.D. (Interstitial Lung Diseases), COPD, cystic fibrosis, or pulmonary arterial hypertension -- those patients whose lungs can no longer support normal life.

Dr. Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery, Medanta, said, “End-stage lung disease is a medical condition in which the person’s lungs are damaged to the extent that they cannot maintain the body's normal oxygen levels. This means the lungs have reached the end stage of their function with no medical cure or remedy available. This situation is precisely when lung transplantation becomes the only option available today.”

There are three types of lung transplants -- single lung transplant, where only one damaged lung is removed from the patient and replaced with a donated lung; double lung transplant, where both of the patient’s lungs are replaced; and thirdly heart-lung transplant, in which the heart and both lungs of a patient are replaced with a donated heart and pair of lungs.

Once the new lung is transplanted, the body begins to adjust under close medical supervision. However, recovery takes time and patience -- patients may need to stay in the hospital for a few weeks and will require regular follow-up check-ups.

Like any major surgery, lung transplants carry risks. The most serious is organ rejection -- patients must take medicines called immunosuppressants for the rest of their life to prevent their body from rejecting the new lung. However, these medicines also make the body more prone to infections, so extra care is needed.

Dr. Kumar said, “With successful transplantation and proper care, most patients can enjoy a better quality of life. However, they will require regular medical monitoring and medications.Following medical advice, taking medicines on time, and attending regular follow-ups are a must for the patient.”

While a lung transplant is a major procedure, it can help restore a level of normalcy when breathing becomes a constant challenge.