Transplant Patient Is Planning Party

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31583, 22 January 1968, Page 11

Transplant Patient Is Planning Party

(N.Z. PA.-Reuter—Copyright) CAPE TOWN, January 21. At the age of 58 Dr Philip Blaiberg has made medical history by becoming the world’s longest-surviving heart transplant patient.

He entered his nineteenth post-operative day yesterday sitting up cheerfully in bed in the Groote Schuur Hospital. It was 18 days after Mr Louis Washkansky received his new heart that the world's first heart transplant patient died of pneumonia. Dr Blaiberg’s condition is so satisfactory that doctors are predicting that he will be able to resume his career as a dentist after his discharge from hospital. The patient made light of the inevitable tension surrounding him yesterday by asking his wife to lay on a champagne party for the doctors and nurses for his farewell party. Mrs Blaiberg. who had regarded yesterday as her “D day” said: “My fears were quite unfounded. He has nol looked better and is determined to get completely well." U.S. PATIENT DEAD Mr Mike Kasperak, America’s first adult heart transplant patient, died today at the Stanford University Medi-

cal Centre in California. He died from complications after surgery 15 days ago. ago.

A further statement would be issued later, a hospital spokesman said.