Baby's six-Organ transplant, banned in Japan, done in U.S.

Compiled from AP, Kyodo

January 16, 2005

MIAMI -- An 11-month-old Japanese boy smiled and laughed in his mother's arms as doctors talked of his progress after a six-organ transplant, an operation performed in the U.S. because children's organ donations are banned in Japan.

Yosuke Ohashi underwent the 8 1/2-hour transplant of a liver, pancreas, stomach, small and large intestines and spleen on Dec. 24 at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

"The life we once gave up on has been saved," said Yukiho Ohashi, whose son was the first Japanese to undergo such complex multiple organ transplantation.

Ohashi expressed hope that Japan will allow harvesting organs from brain-dead child donors, saying, "I can't understand why children are barred from getting organs transplanted in Japan."

Japanese law does not let children under the age of 15 donate organs, forcing families to leave the country for transplants.

The boy suffered a severe twisting of his intestines when he was 5 months old and was forced to have most of them removed, which made it difficult for his body to absorb nutrients.

He was brought to Miami from Chile where Ohashi, 39, lives with his wife, Yoshie. The boy was supposed to undergo an intestine transplant only, but his condition deteriorated rapidly from around October, with the functions of his liver and some other organs compromised.

During the operation, a team of doctors led by associate professor Tomoaki Kato transplanted the six organs from a 6-month-old brain-dead donor.

About one week after the operation, Yosuke recovered from jaundice and pain, which had tired him out, to exhibit healthy smiles, his parents and doctors said.

"This child has done remarkably well compared to others," Kato said. Other children have received similar transplants.

Kato said that while Yosuke weathered the immediate postoperative period without difficulty, the suppression of possible rejections of transplanted organs, which often occurs in the first three to six months after an organ transplant, could pose some problems.

The family will stay in Miami for six months so doctors can continue to supervise the child's recovery.

Copyright © 2005 The Japan Times.

This article posted February 9, 2005.