UK Transplant Breakthrough: Newborn Donates Her Organs to Save Two Lives

Doctors from the United Kingdom have successfully transplanted the organs from a newborn infant into two separate recipients. This was the country's first ever procedure involving organ transplants donated by an infant.

The doctors at Imperial College NHS Trust in London reported that the baby girl was born at full term via a Caesarian section at Hammersmith Hospital in London. The baby, unfortunately, was not born healthy. Based on the test results, the doctors concluded that the infant was deprived of oxygen within the womb. Despite resuscitation efforts, the infant suffered from severe brain damage. The doctors gave the parents the option of donating her organs.

After six days, the infant's heart stopped beating. The doctors stated that out of an act of "extraordinary generosity," the infant's parents gave them the permission to use the baby's organs.

"They were brave. They were courageous and I cannot thank them enough," Dr. Gaurav Atreja, a neonatologist at Hammersmith Hospital, told BBC Radio 4. "We were very factual with them. We were very clear that this is something...we have never done this before...we may or may not be successful."

He added, "I was surprised that once this plan was presented to the parents...they showed their keenness to agree to this and they came back very quickly."

Her kidneys were successfully transplanted into a patient suffering from renal failure. The doctors stated that due to the size of the kidneys, the surgery was highly difficult. In the other operation, her liver cells were transfused to another patient with a failing liver.

"We are pleased the first transplant of organs from a newborn in the UK was a success and we praise the brave decision of the family to donate their baby's organs," professor James Neuberger of NHS Blood and Transplant, said reported by BBC News. "The sad reality is for everybody to get the lifesaving transplant they are desperately in need of, more families who are facing the tragic loss of their young child will need to agree to donation."

The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health is expected to publish an official review this year. The doctors detailed the case in the journal, the Archives of Diseases in Childhood.