X

Renowned blacksmith from Rossie seeks donor for partial liver transplant

Posted 7/29/15

To the Editor: I have cirrhosis of the liver, an irreversible disease usually caused by one of three conditions: too much alcohol, hepatitis C, and (in my case) Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Renowned blacksmith from Rossie seeks donor for partial liver transplant

Posted

To the Editor:

I have cirrhosis of the liver, an irreversible disease usually caused by one of three conditions: too much alcohol, hepatitis C, and (in my case) Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune disease that plugs the bile ducts, backing up bile in the liver, causing jaundice and death.

The doctors at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland, succeeded over the course of the last seven weeks in inserting two plastic stents to open up the common bile duct and an upstream tributary leading to the liver. After a series of tests they concluded that at age 72, going on 73, I am a good candidate for a liver transplant.

That’s the good news. The challenging news is that I have almost no chance of receiving a dead person’s liver because of my age. However, I could add years to my life if I receive part of the liver of a living donor—within the next few months. The longer I have to wait, the greater the chance that my health will deteriorate to the point where they will not risk surgery.

Dr. Andrew Cameron, one of the transplant specialists at JH, has made a short informative video--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk2oTMxXMNU. The recipient’s insurance pays for all of the donor’s hospital expenses, beginning with a few tests to determine among other things a compatible blood type (in my case B + or - and O). The donor, who must be age 55 or younger, donates half of his or her liver, which miraculously grows back in three weeks. The donor is in the hospital for five or six days and is fully recovered in six weeks. Both donor and recipient are left with a large scar in the shape of the three legged Mercedes Benz symbol. The national success rate for the recipient is 89%, but 95% at Johns Hopkins. Post operative survival is 100%. The donor may donate only once.

The JH contact person for a donor is Kathy of the Living Donor Team at 1-443-287-9648. It is unethical for me to intercede in this process.

I realize that there are an overwhelming number of good reasons to not consider being a donor, but if you would help spread the word about my search, you would increase the chances of finding someone.

John Scarlett

Rossie