World’s first treble transplant

Press, 18 December 1986, Page 8

World’s first treble transplant

NZPA-AP London The world’s first combined heart, lungs and liver transplant was completed successfully yesterday at Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, a hospital spokesman announced.

The recipient, who was not named, is a Yorkshire woman, aged 35, who is married, with a child. Her condition afterwards was described by the hospital as satisfactory. Teams from Papworth and Cambridge’s ■ Addenbrooke’s Hospital took part in seven hours of surgery.

The consultant surgeon, Mr John Wallwork, led

the heart-lungs transplant and Professor Sir Roy Caine led the liver swap. The spokesman said that Cambridgeshire was one of only a handful of centres in the world capable of performing such surgery, thanks to a combination of the hospital’s expertise in heart and heart-lungs transplant and the pioneering liver work of Sir Roy at Addenbrooke’s. Such combined transplants were unlikely to be done often, he said. “The medical conditions that necessitated this operation are rare and it could be several years before a similar transplant is necessary.”