Concerted effort to give second life to 4-month-old baby
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The Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 17) announced that the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH) has successfully performed a heart transplant for a 4-month-old baby Tsz-hei. The baby is now staying in the Intensive Care Unit of HKCH and the clinical team will closely monitor her condition and provide appropriate management.
HKCH Chief Executive Dr Lee Tsz-leung said, "We were notified that a child in mainland was certified brain death yesterday, whose heart was suitable for transplanting to Tsz-hei. HKCH medical team immediately liaised with mainland's medical team and Tsz-hei's parents and arrange the transplant operation upon receiving the donor heart last night. The operation was completed at around 1am this morning."
"Tsz-hei is the youngest heart transplant recipient ever in Hong Kong. Relatives are grateful for the assistance from the mainland authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for finding a suitable heart for Tsz-hei, amid the both clinical teams granted a second life for Tsz-hei."
Consultant of the Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of HKCH, Dr Robin Chen said that Tsz-hei's heart failure situation was very critical requiring ventilator and inotropic agents support before the heart transplant operation. Her life was hanging by a thread.
Consultant of the Cardiothoracic Surgery of HKCH Dr Nicholson Yam assured that detailed examination of relevant information has been performed before commencing the operation to ascertain the heart to be transplanted was in accordance with international standard.
The HA Director (Cluster Services) Dr Simon Tang added that "Given Tsz-hei was very young, all effort has to be made through different networks to find a suitable heart for Tsz-hei amid all the difficulties. The HA expressed its heartfelt appreciation to the mainland authorities, the HKSAR Government and the medical teams for their coordination, which has led to the success of the heart transplant for Tsz-hei. Dr Tang said, "Since there was no suitable recipient being found in mainland, the mainland authorities decided to send the donor heart to Hong Kong for transplanting to Tsz-hei. The operation was approved by both the mainland and Hong Kong regulatory bodies and all procedures were in accordance with the regulations of both the mainland and Hong Kong."
The HA thanked the donor's family for their selfless act in donating the heart to Tsz-hei whom has given her a second life. The HA wishes Tsz-hei's an early recovery and the clinical team will continue to provide the best care to Tsz-hei.
Ends/Saturday, December 17, 2022
Issued at HKT 22:27
Issued at HKT 22:27
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