Nov 12, 2007 6:49 pm US/Eastern
Md. Has First Heart-Liver Transplant
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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A Prince George's County man receives a new heart and a new liver. Courtesy: University of Maryland Medical Center
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In a medical first for Maryland, a Prince George's county man has successfully undergone a double organ transplant-- a new heart and a new liver.
Alex DeMetrick reports the risky operation took place in Baltimore at the University Of Maryland Medical Center.
Something as simple as walking is a joy for 33-year-old Trevanoyn Shelton. A month ago, he didn't have the strength.
"I was pretty bad. I was feeling not so good. I couldn't get around a lot. Walking half a block, I couldn't do it. Now I feel wonderful," said Shelton.
Three weeks ago, surgeons at the University Of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore performed the first heart-liver transplant in the state.
It was Shelton's only chance at life when his failing heart left his liver damaged.
Transplants always require careful matching. That became doubly hard for a heart and liver.
After a wait of two months, donor organs came from an unidentified Marylander, and now for Shelton, life is looking up.
In the past 25 years, heart-liver transplants have only been performed 53 times in the United States.
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