ABC News
The 12-hour multi-organ transplant was completed at Melbourne's Austin Hospital early on Saturday morning.
Brendan Cole, 32, had been suffered worsening intestinal failure since childhood and has endured more than 30 operations.
Surgeons replaced his small intestine, liver, pancreas and duodenum in an operation regarded as the most complex and risky of all transplant procedures.
Mr Cole is in a serious but stable condition in intensive care but doctors say it will be months before they know whether the transplant has been a success.
Head surgeon Professor Bob Jones says there is now a high risk of organ rejection and infection.
"The bowel has been really difficult to transplant. It's the last frontier of transplantation because the bowel is extremely sensitive," he said.
"You can have a fantastic operation and a fantastic recovery and then a month down the track get a nasty infection that could be potentially life-threatening.
"So Brendan won't really be out of the woods [yet]. We'll really relax in about three months."
Professor Jones says Mr Cole may have had only months to live before the high-risk surgery.
"Brendan probably had less than a year to live, probably six months, so ... it's lifesaving for him," he said.
"He spent the last 12 years of his life hooked to IV line and ... unable to eat.
"Once he's recovered, we can let him out of the hospital, he can go down to the grocery shop, buy some food, cook it and eat it.
"It'll have an extraordinary affect on his life."
Mr Cole says he is looking forward to getting married and living a normal life.
"This morning I tried to get the nursing staff to pinch me a few times cos I thought maybe something had gone wrong, but then everyone said 'oh no it went really really well'," he said.
"It's ridiculous to say it's probably been one of the best days of my life and it's only going to get better from here."
Mr Cole has thanked the doctors who saved his life.
"It's hard to explain how professional and how comfortable the team at the Austin have made me feel," he said.
"They're so dedicated. Much thanks goes to them - they are an amazing team."
“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Register to be an organ and tissue donor & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network. NEW for Ontario: recycleMe.org - Learn The Ins & Outs Of Organ And Tissue Donation. Register Today! For other Canadian provinces click here
In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov
In Great Britain, register at NHS Organ Donor Register
In Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register
Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants (see allotransplantation). One tissue donor can help 75 to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves
Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. Organs can save lives, corneas renew vision, and tissue may help to restore someone's ability to walk, run or move freely without pain. Life Begins with You
No comments:
Post a Comment