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Arab Israeli child receives a rare, life-saving transplant in Miami

8/4/2006

A gravely ill 19-month-old Arab Israeli girl underwent a seven-hour multivisceral transplant at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center Thursday night.  A team led by surgeons Andreas Tzakis, M.D., Ph.D., and Tomoaki Kato, M.D., transplanted a liver, stomach, pancreas, spleen, small and large intestines into Janna Awad.

“The surgery went very well. Janna is now in recovery and is listed in critical but stable condition,” said Dr. Tzakis.  “This is a very dangerous procedure but results at UM/Jackson have improved dramatically during the last few years. At this time more than 80 percent of the patients survive the first year, which is the most critical time. After recovery from the surgery they are able to eat normally and return to their usual activities.”

Janna and her 8-month-old sister Halla traveled with their parents from Israel to UM/Jackson for the procedure.  Both girls were born with microvillous inclusion disease, which inhibits their ability to digest food.  Both have been nourished intravenously since birth. The intravenous nutrition caused severe damage to their livers and their only option for survival is a transplant.

Of the 270 multivisceral transplants that have been performed worldwide, 139 have been performed  at UM/Jackson.   The family’s health insurance is covering a large part of the expense, along with money from a fundraising campaign, and financial support from the Israeli government.  The family left Israel just before the outbreak of the latest violence between Israel and Lebanon.

Janna’s condition was more serious than her sister’s.  Halla is awaiting organs for her transplant.  Janna is the second Israeli child to receive a multivisceral transplant at UM/Jackson; the first received her transplant in April and is expected to be able to return home soon.