Special delivery: Doctors rushing to place organs donated by Chiew (pic) onto a helicopter yesterday.
KUALA LUMPUR: After a lapse of two years, the National Heart Institute (IJN) performed a lung transplant on a patient last night.
The family of Chiew Fong Neo (pic), 43, from Tangkak, agreed to donate a pair of kidneys, cornea, liver, lungs and heart valves after the hit-and-run accident victim was declared brain dead.
Their generosity enabled IJN to perform its first lung transplant since 2007 when the country’s first heart and lung transplant patient Siti Salmah Jasni was operated on. Siti Salmah died on Nov 28 the same year.
According to Chiew’s sister Fong Kiao, 54, the victim, who was working in Singapore, was hit by a car at Taman Tangkak Jaya on Sunday.
She said her sister had previously made known to her family her wish to donate her organs.
IJN heart and lung services clinical director Dr Mohamed Ezani Mohd Taib left the institute at 11am for Muar before flying back with the lungs.
The helicopter touched down at the KL hospital football field at 6.10pm.
The operation for the lungs began right after that and lasted for about eight hours.
Chew’s kidneys and liver were transported in an ambulance for transplant procedures in other hospitals.
This is the first time the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar has harvested organs from an accident victim.
Its director Dr Ahmad Pauzi Abu said it was a team effort by several parties, including IJN, the hospital, the Armed Forces and police. He thanked the victim and her family for their noble act.
[source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/6/nation/5420065&sec=nation]
Join the discussion One Comment