Vancouver surgeons perform 10 major organ transplants in 24 hours

Darah Hansen, Vancouver Sun

October 31, 2007

Janet Brine talks at a press conference Wednesday about the recent double-lung transplant her daughter Eva Markvoort underwent. Ward Perrin / Vancouver Sun

VANCOUVER - Surgeons and medical staff in Vancouver celebrated a provincial "first" this month by performing a record number of life-saving organ transplants within a 24-hour period spanning Oct. 23 and 24.

Over that period, 10 major organ transplants were successfully undertaken by surgical teams working around the clock at Vancouver General Hospital. The surgeries included four kidney transplants, two double-lung transplants and three liver transplants. At the same time, another kidney transplant was undertaken by teams at St. Paul's Hospital.

Normally, VGH, the centre for transplant surgery in the province, carries out nine to 12 transplant surgeries over the course of a month.

Earlier today, a public celebration was held at VGH to mark the occasion, which Anne Sutherland Boal, Vancouver acute chief operating officer, called "a great achievement for Vancouver Coastal Health."

Boal said the number of surgeries is a provincial record, adding, the staggering number "could stand as a Canadian record as well."

Dr. John Yee, thoracic surgeon and surgical director of the BC Lung Transplant program at VGH, performed both double-lung surgeries.

On Wednesday, Yee said eight of the surgeries were made possible through generosity of two anonymous organ donors, whose deaths provided the "sudden gift" of four kidneys, two livers and four lungs.

"We're very proud of this day. I think it's a wonderful day for transplantation," said Yee. "Our prayers go out to the donor families who made this possible."

Yee said all of the organ recipients are doing "very well" in their recovery. "Some of them have even been discharged from hospital already," he said.

Eva Markvoort, a 23-year-old theatre student from New Westminster, was among of the transplant patients. Markvoort, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, underwent a double-lung transplant last Tuesday and continues to recover in the hospital's intensive care unit.

On her behalf, her parents, Janet Brine and Bill Markvoort, issued an emotional thank you to the donor's family.

"I would love to be able to wrap my arms around the parents, the spouse, the child or the sibling of our donor. To be able to comfort them by telling them what their loved one has given our daughter," Brine said. "Our daughter Eva ... now has a chance at life. Doors were closing for her rapidly in the last several months. Now doors will begin to open. She has been given the gift of the breath of life and the chance to fulfill her dreams."

Dr. Robert Levy, head of medicine for the BC Transplant Society, called on all British Columbians to take a moment and register as an organ donor.

"There are hundreds of British Columbians continuing to languish while awaiting life-saving organ transplants," he said. "It's a good opportunity in this happy moment to register and try and save lives."

For more information on how to become an organ donor, go to www.transplant.bc.ca dahansen@png.canwest.com

Copyright © 2007 Vancouver Sun.

This article posted November 17, 2007.