Organ transplant should enable girl hurt in pool drain to resume normal diet, doctor says

Doctor says Edina girl should be able to resume normal diet

By Jeremy Olson

Pioneer Press

December 19, 2007

Life-threatening liver failure was one of the reasons Monday's multi-organ transplant was urgently needed for Abigail Taylor, the 6-year-old severely injured in a pool drain accident this summer, her surgeon said Wednesday.

Abigail has received daily nutrition from a feeding tube since the June 29 accident, when her buttocks became lodged in an uncovered pool drain and the resulting suction pulled out most of her small intestine. As often happens to children with severe intestinal problems, Abigail's dependency on the nutrition formula resulted in liver disease, said Dr. Alan Langnas, chief of transplantation at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

"The transplant became something that was required relatively early in the process," he said. "Others can last for years without the need for transplantation."

The Edina girl received a new small bowel, liver and pancreas Monday, and she is listed in serious condition.

"We're all pleased with her progress," Langnas said. "She's a wonderful patient."

Abigail's parents, Scott and Katey Taylor, learned late Sunday that donor organs were available. The family flew immediately to Omaha, and the surgery started early Monday.

The Nebraska transplant center is a leader in small bowel transplants and since 1990 has performed more than 150 multi-organ transplants involving the small bowel and liver.

Abigail's procedure was unusual because of her age, Langnas said. Most recipients are infants born with intestinal defects. There isn't enough history with this procedure to project life expectancy, but Langnas said the medical center performed a similar operation on a 2-year-old in 1991. She's still alive.

The surgery is intended to create a functional digestive system so children can resume normal diets, Langnas said. The social and psychological benefits of eating normal meals with friends and families are immense, he added.

"Typically, they go back to eating routine, regular table food," Langnas said. "I'm not sure what a typical 6-year-old diet is, or a 10-year-old diet is, but they're certainly capable of eating those foods."

The Taylors have responded publicly to their daughter's injury by advocating federal pool-safety legislation, which recently was approved in the Senate and the House. The family also has sued the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, where the accident happened, and Sta-Rite Industries, manufacturer of the pool drain system.

Langnas said the transplant and the medical requirements that follow it can be taxing on families. The Taylors will remain in Omaha for as long as six months so doctors can monitor Abigail's health and check for signs of rejection. She likely will take anti-rejection medications for the rest of her life.

Surveys of transplant recipients show many children lead happy lives, though.

"When you ask the children how they think they're doing," Langnas said, "they rank the quality of their life as equal to their classmates. Their parents don't necessarily think so, but the children think so."

Jeremy Olson can be reached at jolson@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5583.

Copyright © 2007 Pioneer Press, TwinCities.com.

This article posted February 3, 2008.