Tragic Transplant Mistake

Max Power · 02-18-2003, 12:32 PM

This is a tragedy - - no question.
What is also sad, though not nearly as sad, is that the hospital will pay a fortune for this mistake, and it will just be transferred into the cost that participants pay for healthcare.

Back to the main story -- this poor girl. Words cannot describe.

DURHAM, N.C. (Feb. 18) - A teenager from Mexico who mistakenly received organs from a donor with a different blood type was not expected to live more than a few days, a family friend said Tuesday.

The girl, whose family moved to the United States so she could get a heart and lung transplant, remained in critical condition Tuesday, said Richard Puff, a spokesman for Duke University Hospital.

``She's only got a couple of more days to live on this heart-lung machine, and she's already experiencing damage to her kidneys,'' friend Mack Mahoney told ABC's ``Good Morning America.''

Jesica Santillam, 17, suffers from a heart deformity that prevents her lungs from pumping enough oxygen into her blood. After a three-year wait, she received a transplant on Feb. 7 with a heart and lungs flown in from Boston.

The organs flown from Boston to Durham 10 days ago were sent with paperwork correctly listing the donor's blood type, said Sean Fitzpatrick of the New England Organ Bank, which sent the organs.

Speaking through an interpreter, the girl's mother, Magdalena Santillan, told ``Good Morning America'' that the hospital called her and said they had received same blood-type organs, and that the organs had come exactly just to her daughter's measurements.

Somehow, the type-A organs were transplanted into the girl with type O-positive blood.

``This was a tragic error, and we accept responsibility for our part,'' said Dr. William Fulkerson, chief executive officer of Duke University Hospital, in a statement released Monday night. ``This is an especially sad situation since we intended this operation to save the life of a girl whose prognosis was grave.''

Duke Hospital officials initially refused to elaborate on the mix-up, but Mahoney, who has legal authority to participate in Jesica's medical care, said the girl's family was told a ``clerical error'' allowed her name to come up on a list of possible recipients.

KCBOOMER · 02-18-2003, 01:10 PM

It is a double edged tragedy. Those organs could have been placed in someelse and saved a life.

Max Power · 02-18-2003, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KCBOOMER
It is a double edged tragedy. Those organs could have been placed in someelse and saved a life.

Excellent point.

rcartman28 · 02-18-2003, 04:15 PM

How sad....

Max Power · 02-20-2003, 07:14 AM

This was quick! Almost too quick - - I say this since I knew a 26 year old girl that died 10 years ago waiting for a lung transplant that never came in time............organs usually don't turn up this fast - - - unless you're Mickey Mantle or about to be sued, I guess?

DURHAM, N.C. (Feb. 20) - Another organ donor has been found for a 17-year-old girl clinging to life after she received organs that didn't match her blood type, a spokeswoman said.

The surgery was scheduled Thursday morning, and it has a 50-50 chance of success, said Renee McCormick, a spokeswoman for Jesica's Hope Chest. The organ was found at 1 a.m. Thursday, she said.

McCormick said she didn't know who donated the organs, but they were donated directly to Jesica Santillan, who mistakenly received a heart and lungs incompatible with her type O-positive blood during a transplant Feb. 7 at Duke University Hospital. She has been in critical condition.

McCormick called the new organs an ``incredibly good match.'' ``We are elated,'' she told CNN. ``The family is overjoyed.''

Jesica's condition steadily deteriorated after the botched operation, and she suffered a heart attack Feb. 10 and a seizure on Sunday. A machine has kept her heart and lungs going, and a scan Wednesday found no signs of brain damage, said McCormick.

Jesica's body was rejecting the new organs because of the different blood types. Antibodies in her blood attacked the organs as foreign objects.

02/20/03 06:22 EST

JamesI · 02-20-2003, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Max Power
This was quick! Almost too quick - - I say this since I knew a 26 year old girl that died 10 years ago waiting for a lung transplant that never came in time............organs usually don't turn up this fast - - - unless you're Mickey Mantle or about to be sued, I guess?

This is fast, but since the hospital screwed up the first time not the body rejecting the transplant, I can understand it more than Mantle getting bumped to the top three times.

Craig S. · 02-21-2003, 08:40 AM

They're giving her a 50-50 chance. I guess all we can do now is hope.

pathogan · 02-22-2003, 09:26 PM

...hard to find the silver lining here.Tragic,crushing error...

WiredTiger · 03-05-2003, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Max Power
This was quick! Almost too quick - - I say this since I knew a 26 year old girl that died 10 years ago waiting for a lung transplant that never came in time............organs usually don't turn up this fast - - - unless you're Mickey Mantle or about to be sued, I guess?

I think she probably was kept at the front of the line and rightfully so. Unfortunately she didn't make it. Hopefully the hospitals will review their procedures and make sure that this doesn't happen again.

pwdennis · 03-05-2003, 01:14 PM

One of the odd aspects of this case. The girls' family refused to donate her usable organs, thus ensuring that at least one more person will die who could have been saved

I hope the jury that hears the civil case gets to hear this piece of information

Skip · 03-05-2003, 01:21 PM

Wow. That's the topper of all toppers. Geez.

JamesI · 03-05-2003, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwdennis
One of the odd aspects of this case. The girls' family refused to donate her usable organs, thus ensuring that at least one more person will die who could have been saved

I hope the jury that hears the civil case gets to hear this piece of information

Its hard to belive after so desperately needing those organs, the family wouldn't allow them to donate usable ones on to help others. That's just dispicable.

rcartman28 · 03-05-2003, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JamesI
Its hard to belive after so desperately needing those organs, the family wouldn't allow them to donate usable ones on to help others. That's just dispicable.

I agree.....

satchel · 03-05-2003, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwdennis
One of the odd aspects of this case. The girls' family refused to donate her usable organs, thus ensuring that at least one more person will die who could have been saved

Where did you read that? Do you happen to have a link? (I'm not challenging you - I'd just like to read more.

)

pwdennis · 03-05-2003, 10:28 PM

ok

http://www.smudailycampus.com/vnews/.../3e5eded915d4d

02-18-2003, 12:32 PM	#1
Max Power NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: May 2002 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 5,548	Tragic Transplant Mistake This is a tragedy - - no question. What is also sad, though not nearly as sad, is that the hospital will pay a fortune for this mistake, and it will just be transferred into the cost that participants pay for healthcare. Back to the main story -- this poor girl. Words cannot describe. DURHAM, N.C. (Feb. 18) - A teenager from Mexico who mistakenly received organs from a donor with a different blood type was not expected to live more than a few days, a family friend said Tuesday. The girl, whose family moved to the United States so she could get a heart and lung transplant, remained in critical condition Tuesday, said Richard Puff, a spokesman for Duke University Hospital. ``She's only got a couple of more days to live on this heart-lung machine, and she's already experiencing damage to her kidneys,'' friend Mack Mahoney told ABC's ``Good Morning America.'' Jesica Santillam, 17, suffers from a heart deformity that prevents her lungs from pumping enough oxygen into her blood. After a three-year wait, she received a transplant on Feb. 7 with a heart and lungs flown in from Boston. The organs flown from Boston to Durham 10 days ago were sent with paperwork correctly listing the donor's blood type, said Sean Fitzpatrick of the New England Organ Bank, which sent the organs. Speaking through an interpreter, the girl's mother, Magdalena Santillan, told ``Good Morning America'' that the hospital called her and said they had received same blood-type organs, and that the organs had come exactly just to her daughter's measurements. Somehow, the type-A organs were transplanted into the girl with type O-positive blood. ``This was a tragic error, and we accept responsibility for our part,'' said Dr. William Fulkerson, chief executive officer of Duke University Hospital, in a statement released Monday night. ``This is an especially sad situation since we intended this operation to save the life of a girl whose prognosis was grave.'' Duke Hospital officials initially refused to elaborate on the mix-up, but Mahoney, who has legal authority to participate in Jesica's medical care, said the girl's family was told a ``clerical error'' allowed her name to come up on a list of possible recipients. __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator "They come and they go, Hobbs. They come and they go." That's why there's NetShrine.com

02-18-2003, 01:10 PM	#2
KCBOOMER NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Home of the T-Bones Posts: 11,116	It is a double edged tragedy. Those organs could have been placed in someelse and saved a life. __________________ KCBOOMER *Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of Baseball*

02-18-2003, 04:15 PM	#4
rcartman28 NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hudson, WI Posts: 1,408	How sad.... __________________ I would have looked out for the water main. But that's just me..... Brett Favre

02-20-2003, 07:14 AM	#5
Max Power NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: May 2002 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 5,548	This was quick! Almost too quick - - I say this since I knew a 26 year old girl that died 10 years ago waiting for a lung transplant that never came in time............organs usually don't turn up this fast - - - unless you're Mickey Mantle or about to be sued, I guess? DURHAM, N.C. (Feb. 20) - Another organ donor has been found for a 17-year-old girl clinging to life after she received organs that didn't match her blood type, a spokeswoman said. The surgery was scheduled Thursday morning, and it has a 50-50 chance of success, said Renee McCormick, a spokeswoman for Jesica's Hope Chest. The organ was found at 1 a.m. Thursday, she said. McCormick said she didn't know who donated the organs, but they were donated directly to Jesica Santillan, who mistakenly received a heart and lungs incompatible with her type O-positive blood during a transplant Feb. 7 at Duke University Hospital. She has been in critical condition. McCormick called the new organs an ``incredibly good match.'' ``We are elated,'' she told CNN. ``The family is overjoyed.'' Jesica's condition steadily deteriorated after the botched operation, and she suffered a heart attack Feb. 10 and a seizure on Sunday. A machine has kept her heart and lungs going, and a scan Wednesday found no signs of brain damage, said McCormick. Jesica's body was rejecting the new organs because of the different blood types. Antibodies in her blood attacked the organs as foreign objects. 02/20/03 06:22 EST __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator "They come and they go, Hobbs. They come and they go." That's why there's NetShrine.com

02-22-2003, 09:26 PM	#8
pathogan william Blake's Innkeeper Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 2,828	Rest in Peace ...hard to find the silver lining here.Tragic,crushing error...

02-21-2003, 08:40 AM	#7
Craig S. Guest Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,330	They're giving her a 50-50 chance. I guess all we can do now is hope.

03-05-2003, 01:14 PM	#10
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	One of the odd aspects of this case. The girls' family refused to donate her usable organs, thus ensuring that at least one more person will die who could have been saved I hope the jury that hears the civil case gets to hear this piece of information __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

03-05-2003, 01:21 PM	#11
Skip NetShrine Vagabond Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Louisville Posts: 7,866	Wow. That's the topper of all toppers. Geez.

03-05-2003, 10:28 PM	#15
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	ok http://www.smudailycampus.com/vnews/.../3e5eded915d4d __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

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