Pittsburgh hospital halts lung transplant program

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh hospital has shut down its lung transplant program.

Allegheny General Hospital said Thursday that it was deactivating the 3-year-old lung transplant program while the hospital focuses on “adding some additional components to the service.” The hospital wouldn’t provide details, but did say it would continue to perform heart, liver and kidney transplants.

Surgeons at the hospital have performed four lung transplants since the program began. There are six patients on its lung transplant waiting list, and hospital officials have referred them to other facilities.

The hospital is part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System, which recently announced cutbacks. A spokesman said the changes in the lung transplant program are not related.