SINGAPORE: Asia's first combined heart and liver
transplant, carried out by doctors in Singapore, has proven to be a
success.
The landmark operation was carried out by a multi-disciplinary team
from the National Heart Centre, Singapore's Heart/Lung Transplant
Unit and Singapore General Hospital's Liver Transplant
Service.
Three years ago, 57-year-old pastor, Lau Chin Kwee, was diagnosed
with a rare genetic condition known as Familial Amyloid
Polyneuropathy.
Doctors had said the disease could affect his organ functions over
time and recommended a liver transplant.
Later, tests revealed that Mr Lau's heart had been affected
too.
Last November, he was placed on the waiting list for a combined
transplant.
Suitably matched organs from a deceased donor became available in
April this year, and the complex surgery was successfully performed
a month later.
The heart transplant was carried out first, followed by the liver
transplant by a different team.
Including pre-transplantation preparation, it took the six doctors
about 12 hours to complete the surgery. But it was not the length
of the operation that doctors found most challenging.
Lim Chong Hee, director of Heart & Lung Transplant Programme at
the National Heart Centre, said: "The difficulty in this procedure
is actually the coordination among the two different teams, to have
suggestions and also expertise from the two different sides."
Mr Lau is recovering well and has expressed via video phone his
gratitude to the donor's family for giving him a second chance at
life.
He said: "I want to thank the loved ones of the donor and I want to
encourage all Singaporeans never to opt out (of organ donation),
there's no need to opt out. If they (doctors) harvest your organs
for good use, be very thankful. This is a gift of life."
- CNA/ir