From Reuters Health Information
DENVER (Reuters) Aug 16 - The University of Colorado has suspended living donor liver transplants following the death of a donor.
"We are conducting an internal review and will also have outside experts in the field do an external review," University of Colorado Hospital spokeswoman Erika Matich said on Friday. "We will make any changes or improvements if needed."
Ryan Arnold, 34, died on Aug. 2 at the Colorado hospital days after donating a portion of his liver to his older brother, Chad, 38, who was suffering from liver failure.
Rod Arnold, another brother, told Reuters that Ryan went into cardiac arrest two days after the surgery, was resuscitated by medical personnel and placed on life support. Testing revealed he had no brain activity and he died two days later.
The University of Colorado has long been at the forefront of liver transplants. Surgeons there conducted the world's first successful cadaver transplant in the early 1960s.
Arnold is the fourth donor to die in the United States following a live liver transplant operation and the second this year.
In May, a donor died at the Lahey Clinic in Massachusetts after undergoing the operation.
Rod Arnold said Chad Arnold is still recovering from the transplant, and that the family wanted people to know that it was a "natural decision" by Ryan to try and save his brother's life.
"Ryan took care of people his whole life," Rod Arnold said of his brother, who leaves behind a wife and three young sons.
No comments:
Post a Comment