The waiting list to receive a liver transplant is long. The American Liver Foundation notes that more than 16,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant.
On its website, the foundation notes that the time a person spends on the waiting list depends on his or her blood type, body size, stage of liver disease, overall health, and the availability of a matching liver.
So imagine the surprise at a Chicago hospital when a 5-month infant from Wisconsin was put on the transplant list — and received notification of a match 40 minutes later.
Shortly after his birth in July, Daniel McCabe was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare disorder that causes scarring of the liver and blocks the bile ducts, KTRK reported. He was taken to Lurie Children's Hospital in early December for an evaluation, but soon after his arrival his condition quickly deteriorated.
"His condition was worsening and becoming dire," said his mother, Melody McCabe.
The child's best hope for survival was a liver transplant. So at 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 13, Daniel McCabe was placed on the wait list for a new organ.
"I think it was the best thing for him. He was deteriorating fairly rapidly, even for this disease. Usually it's not so fast, and he really needed that liver as soon as possible," pediatric liver specialist Dr. Saeed Mohammed told KTRK.
Just 40 minutes later, his doctors were notified of a potential match.
"I've never seen anything this fast," Mohammad told KTRK.
Daniel's short wait on the United Network of Organ Sharing list (UNOS) is extremely rare. According to UNOS, over the last five years, Daniel is just one of 43 people nationwide to have waited less than 40 minutes for a life-saving match.
"When Dr. Brown walked into our room and shared the news, I just was speechless. I was immediately so sad but grateful for the donor family. And then at the same time feeling excited and relieved for Daniel," Melody McCabe said in a story posted on the hospital's website. "I never thought he would receive a liver this soon. I thought it would be months before a match and that was my biggest worry because he was so sick."
Once the donor organ arrived at Lurie Children's, transplant surgeon Dr. Riccardo Superina divided the adult-sized liver. A small portion was given to Daniel and the remainder went to a patient at another hospital, KTRK reported.
The child is recovering well but is expected to stay in the hospital for several more weeks, KTRK reported. The family hopes to go home sometime in February.
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