Live liver donation

[skylee]

A customs officer, Yuan, was injured in action and needed a liver transplant urgently. Naturally it was difficult to get any donated organs. So the customs called on people to donate their livers (the donor had to give more than half of his/her liver) to Yuan. When I read the notice I thought, this is asking for too much. But it turned out that some 70 people were willing to donate their livers to Yuan. The liver of a customs inspector called Hui was found suitable, and the transplant was successful.

Report in English -> New hero emerges in liver saga

Report in Chinese -> 英雄無私捐肝 救人手術成功

It is not uncommon for people to donate live organs (e.g. kidney) to family members. But I think it is quite unusual for people to be willing to donate a live vital organ (or a part of) to a stranger (almost). This incident has been described as 大愛 on the radio, and I think it is a very good description.

[crazy-meiguoren]

I think it shows that people really do have hearts of gold, especially when it comes to helping those who risk their lives for public safety. I can't imagine someone's condition being so bad that it requires 70% of a donor's liver. While checking Google for an answer as to how much a person can safely donate their liver, most hits said up to half. But there was no conclusive opinion as to what the maximum is. Fortunately, the liver can regenerate itself (it's the only organ that can do so). Two thirds of the donors feel no serious side effects. Only 2% of donors have life threatening illness as a result of donating, meaning that the vast majority of donors who become ill turn out OK.

Meanwhile, good thoughts are out for Yuen Wai-cheung, and the donor, Simon Hui. We have two heroes in this story.

[skylee]

Another case - a 17-year old girl wanted to donate her liver to her mother who was critically ill because of a failing liver but was not allowed because she was 3 months short of 18 years. The first people could think of was to amend the law for her, and the whole legislature worked on it. And then a 26-year old woman showed up and said she would donate her liver to the sick woman. The donor did not know the patient or her family. She just a wanted to save her. And the donation/operation took place a few days ago.  The donor gave 2/3 of her liver.

 

http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2087673/hong-kong-girl-barred-liver-donation-says-mother

 

https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/viewhk.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/hong-kong-girl-barred-from-liver-donation-thanks-donor-after-successful-last-minute-transplant/amp/

[dwq]

I think I saw on TV a doctor arguing against amending the law, as it is a slippery slope on how young the line can be ethically drawn.

 

Also, unfortunately in this case the doctors found the patient's recovery rate after the operation unsatisfactory, and decided to redo the transplant with a liver from a recently deceased that turned up after the first operation. The live donor reportedly said she did not regret her decision as it might have bought time for the patient till a (more) suitable liver turned up.

[Lu]

I saw an interesting movie about this a recently, 捐赠者. Poor-ish man donates his kidney to rich man's sister for money. Sister initially recovers, rich man is very grateful, helps poor-ish family beyond the initial agreement, everyone is happy. Then the kidney fails after all and trouble ensues.

 

It's really brave and selfless to donate an organ, even when it is to a beloved family member. A 2% chance of life-threatening complications is still a pretty big risk for an operation with no direct benefits (although in case of a donation to a family member, there is of course the indirect benefit), and the donation doesn't always succeed either.