In January, the media around the world reported on the youngest organ donor in the world, just a six-day-old girl. Now it has turned out that this is not true – a year ago, organs were removed from a child who lived only two hours. Parents have not talked about his heroic story so far, and it took a whole year for the world to know about their child.
An exceptional transplant was performed in the UK in January. A girl was born with severe brain hypoxia at Hammersmith Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. The child had constantly dilated pupils and did not make spontaneous movements. Although the doctors suspected that brain-stem death had occurred, qualifying an adult patient for transplantation, due to the lack of appropriate procedures, they could not conclude with certainty. However, when the girl’s heart stopped beating on the sixth day after delivery, it was considered that she could become an organ donor.
The parents made an extremely difficult decision and allowed the doctors to collect the organs. As a result, two children were saved – one had kidneys transplanted and another had liver cells. Without miniature organs, it would be impossible – such young children do not get organ transplants from adults.
Doctors announced that the procedure was a precedent, and the girl was the youngest organ donor in the history of transplantation. They also announced that they see no obstacles to carry out such life-saving operations also in the future.
It turns out, however, that the London specialists were wrong. A year ago, organs were harvested from a newborn who lived less than two hours. A year after the child’s death, the parents decided to talk about his case.
When Jess Evans and her partner Mike Houlston found out they would become parents, they were very happy. It soon became known that Jess would give birth to twins. In the 12th week of pregnancy, they received one devastating information – one of the babies suffers from anencephaly, his skull and brain were not developing properly. This diagnosis is clear – it means that the baby will die during pregnancy or after giving birth.
Although Jess Evans could legally have an abortion, she decided to terminate the pregnancy. Parents agreed that even the minutes spent with the child will be invaluable for them.
As time passed, however, they began to wonder if they could do something to make little Todd’s life even more special. They began to consider the option of a transplant. Experts at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff found the procedure to be extremely difficult, especially considering that it was uncertain whether the baby would be born alive.
However, Todd was born, and his parents could spend less than two hours with him. Doctors assessed the child’s health and concluded that some organs could be removed. When Todd died, his kidneys were removed and transplanted into an adult recipient.
The transplanted kidneys were obviously too small to provide adequate filtration for the adult organism, so the recipient was still on dialysis. Over time, however, such kidneys grow to normal sizes.
Today, Tedd’s parents are raising his healthy twin and are proud that their son’s life saved another life. Tedd would be one year old today. He lived and died a hero. I can’t express how proud I am of him, the boy’s father said.
At the same time, Jess Evans and Mike Houlston encourage everyone to register on donor lists, and parents who are faced with a similar choice are encouraged to make the same decision as they did. They openly say that this brought them tremendous relief from their suffering.
Experts estimate that about 8 percent. newborns who have died as a result of various ailments are eligible for organ donation. In 2008-2013, there were 21 such donors in the United States (newborns up to four weeks of age), but the collection of organs from a few days old child is indeed a precedent.
Due to their size, organs taken from newborns are transplanted mainly to other children. Only certain organs, such as the kidneys, can be transplanted into adults. This is because the recipient can be dialyzed while the tiny kidneys are growing in their body. An analogous procedure for heart transplantation is not an option. A newborn’s heart won’t help an adult, but it can help another newborn, said Dr. Richard Parad, a specialist in neonatal transplantation. The skin that is full of stem cells is perfect for transplantation, and is perfect for patients with extensive burns.
Based on: http://www.bbc.com/
AG