Second baboon to human liver
recipient dies
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 5, 1993--The 62-year-old recipient of a baboon liver died on
Feb. 5, 1993 at 6:50 p.m., 26 days after his transplant operation at the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center. Surgeons say his death was caused by sepsis, a widespread
infection, that may have resulted from a recent diagnosis of peritonitis. More conclusive
information will be available following an autopsy.
The patient, who had been dying of hepatitis B, remained in critical condition after
his transplant on Jan. 10 and never fully regained consciousness. Surgeons had said that
without the transplant he would have lived no more than 30 days.
The transplanted baboon liver functioned and produced bile, and grew four times its
original size to fit the recipient's cavity.
Four biopsies of the liver were performed by surgeons after the transplant. Surgeons
said the results of the first biopsy performed on Jan. 14 were inconclusive, but based on
their visual examination of the liver, they treated the patient as if there were signs of
rejection. To this end, they removed the patient's spleen to allow increased doses of
immunosuppressive drugs to be administered.
Other biopsies, including the fourth one completed Wednesday, Feb. 3, indicated no
further signs of rejection, surgeons say. But during Wednesday's biopsy, surgeons noticed
a leak in the small intestine and an infection surrounding it. Thursday, surgeons removed
the section of the intestine where the leak was located, and Friday morning, the day that
he died, they re-examined the abdomen in the operating room. At this time they made the
diagnosis of peritonitis -- the infection had progressed and was present throughout the
peritoneum, the membrane that surrounds the cavity containing the abdominal organs.
Peritonitis is especially difficult to treat in transplant recipients, whose immune
systems are suppressed with drugs to control rejection.
Surgeons say the peritonitis developed into the system-wide infection
called sepsis, which is a common cause of death in organ transplant recipients.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Rossi
Tel: (412) 647-3555 Fax: (412) 624-3184
EMAIL: ROSSIL@MSX.UPMC.EDU
