Amazing story: Girl gets a whole new digestive system

I just saw this story in the paper -- a 9 year old girl with a rare tumor got six organs transplanted -- esophogus, stomach, liver, small intestine, pancreas, and spleen -- all ending up with an ileostomy.

She was near death, and it looks like she's going to be OK. Wow.

Here it is: http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/02/01/maine-girl-receives-six-organs-unusual-transplant-children-hospital-boston/iA9dOLxodLfLSIS34swPUK/story.html

That is quite amazing! I had no idea they could even do all of that!

Incredible. She sounds so resilient as does her grandmother and I hope she has many years of health. I do wish they had mentioned the donor and their family in the article though. Not to be a downer but while I understand the joy they must have felt at news of "organs" becoming available, talking about having an "organ party" and not mentioning the child or family who gave them this opportunity was a little crass in my opinion. Anyway, it is miraculous and that surgeon does deserve serious respect.

Post Edited (killcolitis) : 2/1/2012 1:27:10 PM (GMT-7)

Huh? why didn't Steve Jobs get a new pancreas. With the billions he has he could have found a great one somewhere.

Somedude said...
Huh? why didn't Steve Jobs get a new pancreas. With the billions he has he could have found a great one somewhere.

I thought he did. That's why he went to Memphis I think for surgery back in 2009 I believe.

Err, maybe it was his liver.

You can't get a transplant for pancreatic cancer because it has almost always spread beyond the pancreas when diagnosed and then the immune-suppressing drugs you need to prevent rejection of the organ will allow the cancer to grow. Pancreas transplants are mostly for diabetes (I just learned this, thanks).

Steve Jobs had a good shot at living if he would have had surgery earlier though.... he thought surgery was too invasive. He made a mistake and later regretted it.

Interesting w/the adhesions.... it's still mostly one surgery..... but a lot of handling....

I was in the bone marrow donor registry -- had two people in my life who had leukemia.... got called up during one of my first IBD flares that I was a match for someone. I was so excited, said I should be better in a few weeks and could come to get more testing. They said I was ineligible now, since I had an autoimmune disorder. That was a huge deal for me -- when I crossed from mostly being a person who helps sick people to mostly being a sick person myself. I was depressed about it for a while. (Also, well, my friend who died of leukemia would have taken my bone marrow if it had matched.... maybe not ideal, but it was better than hers....)