Historic transplant surgery a success
By Hu Yuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-21 01:22

Surgeons from Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital announced yesterday an operation to transplant seven organs from a single donor to a woman on December 12 was a success.

"The 14-hour multivisceral transplant surgery went smoothly and successfully, and the patient is recovering well one week after receiving the new liver, pancreas, spleen, stomach, small bowel, duodenum and colon from one donor," said Li Hongwei, chief surgeon and president of Ruijin Hospital at a press conference yesterday.

The operation is the first of its kind in Asia.

The local woman, aged 38, was diagnosed with a rare disease called familial adenomatous polyposis -- striking one in every 7,000 to 24,000 people.

Gene mutation had caused numerous polyps of different sizes (the largest the size of an egg) to form in her digestive system. Polyps had also developed cancer cells in her stomach, duodenum and had spread to other organs.

Overseas practice shows the only treatment for the disease is to replace the diseased organs. The first such operation was conducted at the Transplant Centre in Pittsburgh in the United States in 1989.

"But this case was really challenging and risky because the patient needed to have seven organs and tissues removed and replaced," said another chief surgeon, Yin Lu, of the operation.

After thorough preparation, the multivisceral transplant surgery was started on the afternoon of December 11.

Surgeons were divided into two teams: one for removing the diseased organs, the other for preparing the donor's organs.

Five hours later, the donor's organs were ready to be put into the recipient's empty abdominal cavity. The most demanding task then began -- connecting the patient's arteries and veins to the donor's liver.

"We carefully opened the vessels to let the blood circulate. Otherwise, the sudden blood flow would cause liver failure or other complications," said Yin.

Surgeons then connected the donated stomach with the patient's gullet and the donated colon with the patient's intestine.

By 5:15 am on December 15, the surgery was completed. During the whole process, the patient's condition remained stable.

"The surgery demanded the close co-operation of medical staff from the surgery, blood, anesthesia and other departments," said Li.

Ruijin Hospital conducted the first organ transplant 20 years ago and founded its transplant centre in 2002.

Surgeons described the patient's recovery as "excellent." She is now able to drink water and communicate with doctors and will remain under close observation for at least a month.

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