Latest News:  

English>>China Society

Truck driver's organs save five lives in Wuhan

By ZHOU LIHUA and HOU LIQIANG  (China Daily)

07:52, April 25, 2013

A family's decision to donate the organs of a dead loved one to patients on the transplant list has saved five lives in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, transplantations of a heart, two kidneys and a liver, were successfully carried out at Wuhan Union Hospital and Tongji Hospital.

The liver had been divided in two and transplanted to two patients.

The organs were harvested from the body of Chen Gang, a truck driver who had been declared brain dead no more than 100 minutes before the first operation.

Chen was driving when he suddenly felt discomfort and pulled over. He began breathing heavily and shortly after fainted.

He was taken to Wuhan Iron and Steel Hospital in critical condition and then transferred to Tongji Hospital, the only hospital in Hubei allowed to harvest donated organs. There doctors tried to save him but failed.

Chen's wife, Qi Dan, made the decision to donate his organs after he was declared brain dead.

Chutian Metropolis Daily reported that Chen wanted to donate his organs, and Qi's decision was supported by their daughter and Chen's parents.

"People around me were surprised by the decision, but I know this was his wish. He told me he would like to be an organ donor, but I never thought it would happen so soon," Qi was quoted as saying.

Chen's mother said: "He was a warm-hearted man. He would be pleased with this decision."

Their daughter said after learning the heart transplant was successful, "My dad has died, but his heart is still beating."

Chen Zhishui, deputy director of Tongji Hospital's Organ Transplant Research Institute, told China Daily on Wednesday that the four recipients' vital signs are stable and all are recovering well.

"The organs were allocated according to three criteria: medical urgency, waiting time and medical compatibility," he said.

Chen Xiaoping, director of the institute said: "A large number of patients are waiting for liver transplants, and there are very few donors. To save one more life, we had no choice but use an innovative technique. This is the first time in Central China a divided liver transplant has been used."


Latest development of H7N9 in China[Special]


We Recommend:

Photo story: A father's naked love

China's weekly story (2013.4.8-4.12)

Photo story: Seize every minute to do homework

Li and Miao people in Sanyuesan Festival

University students make 7-square-meter home

Lesbian lovers seek blessings for their marriage

Things you may not know about the pharmacist

Young rangers patrol railway line

Waitresses wear bikini for promotion

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:HuangJin、Gao Yinan)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. China's aircraft carrier at Qingdao home base

  2. Powered parachutes used in quake rescue operations

  3. France allows same-sex marriage, adoption

  4. Are vaccines safe for your baby?

  5. Touching love stories in the quake

  6. Daily life of quake-affected people

  7. A mystery castle in Qing dynasty

  8. Beijing Guoan beat Pohang Steelers 2-0

  9. Entrepreneurs see potential in market

  10. No new stimulus needed as economy remains stable

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Insisting on wrong road, Japan has no future
  2. US 'turns blind eye to human rights'
  3. Are cities expanding too fast and too soon?
  4. Homework, games limit kids' reading
  5. Commentary: Quake-hit China grows in pain
  6. Loan guidance is good for banks, report says
  7. IMF should act responsibly
  8. Terrorist attacks should not be regionally labeled
  9. Texas town: like whipped by powerful tornado
  10. High land premiums set to affect profits

What’s happening in China

Photo story: 'Grassroots philanthropist' donates foods to quake zone

  1. Suspected food poisoning kills 1, sickens 20
  2. Suicide woman got stuck in a well
  3. 2 dead in Gansu coal mine blast
  4. Eight killed in E China rear-end collision
  5. Police crack down on counterfeiting