Florida Hospital Transplant Program Transplants 100th Liver

 Central Florida's Only Liver Transplant Program Transplants 100th Liver

100th liver transplant patient says new organ will change her life

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 11, 2009 - In just over two years, after Florida Hospital surgeons and their team transplanted Central Florida's first liver, they have performed their 100^th.  The first liver transplant took place in June, 2007 and the 100^th patient, Ava Marks, was thrilled to be in such experienced hands.  Ava got the call early in the morning on Oct. 28, 2009 that there was a liver available for her and to hurry to the hospital.  By that afternoon, Dr. Thomas Chin and the transplant team had taken Ava's diseased liver out and replaced it with a healthy donor liver. 

Unlike other organ failures, liver failure can't be treated temporarily with dialysis or medication.  Rapid transplants are a patient's only chance at survival.  Ava suffered symptoms of liver disease for two years.  At age 56, she wasn't able to make a simple trip to the grocery story because she was not allowed to drive and had to rely on friends, neighbors and family for even the most basic needs.  She had severe memory loss and just recently was found by her neighbors wandering around her street unaware of where she was.  These and stroke-like symptoms are common in advanced liver disease.

Ava's doctors tracked down the cause of her liver disease to a blood transfusion she received when she gave birth to her daughter and contracted hepatitis C.  Now that is all behind her.

"It is going to be a start of a new life for me," Ava said.  "I have waited a while for this, almost two years."  I thank God, I have the great team of doctors at Florida Hospital.  They have been saving my life, literally keeping me going until this day."

Dr. Chin is equally proud of the team's accomplishment in a relatively short time.

"It reflects the fact that you have done a substantial number of liver transplants and if you have done that number it is a pretty significant achievement," Dr. Chin said.

The Florida Hospital Transplant Center has transformed lives for more than 30 years through personalized care of patients awaiting transplantation. The program offers kidney, liver and kidney/pancreas transplantation services, patient and professional education, and dedication to those in need of lifesaving organ transplants. Nationally, last year, more than 28,000 lives were saved due to the generosity of organ donors. Today, nearly 100,000 children and adults await organ transplantation. To learn more about organ donation, go to Translife.org

For more information, contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

###