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| Liver transplant breakthrough for man with terminal diagnosis |
A heartwarming story of triumph against all odds emerges as a charity worker defies a dire prognosis in the world's first experimental liver transplant. Adam Eisenberg, a 58-year-old from North London, faced a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease that left him with just months to live. In his own words, he was effectively "sent home to die." However, a groundbreaking clinical trial, known as the DeFat study, conducted at the Royal Free Hospital in London, has given him a new lease on life.
The DeFat study, sponsored by the University of Oxford, seeks to revolutionize liver transplants by exploring the potential of using livers that are currently deemed unsuitable for transplantation. This innovative project aims to determine whether fatty livers can be made suitable through drug treatments. In this study, certain livers are treated with drugs to facilitate the release of fat from cells, which is then filtered using specialized machines.
The urgency for such medical advancements is evident, as hundreds of individuals in the UK remain on the waiting list for life-saving liver transplants. The scarcity of donor organs is a pressing issue, with approximately one-third of donated livers being declined and discarded due to excessive fat within liver cells. This condition renders these livers unsuitable for storage and transport, decreasing the chances of a successful transplantation.
The prevalence of obesity further compounds this issue, as data from the Health Survey for England in 2021 indicates a significant proportion of adults in England are overweight or obese. With 37.9% classified as overweight and 25.9% as obese, the number of livers unfit for transplantation may continue to rise, exacerbating the organ shortage.
Professor Joerg-Matthias Pollok, clinical lead of the HPB and liver transplant service at the Royal Free Hospital, emphasizes the importance of addressing liver health. He states, "We are all exposing our livers to damage like alcohol consumption [and] unhealthy fatty foods, and in some of us, that fat is deposited in every single liver cell as little droplets, making organs less viable, less healthy, and less usable as donor organs."
The potential applications of this technology are vast, offering hope for various medical procedures in the future. Professor Pollok envisions the treatment of liver cancers using the same technology, creating a wide array of innovative treatment options.
As part of the double-blind trial, neither the surgical team nor the recipient knows if a specific liver has been treated with fat-releasing drugs. Mr. Eisenberg's new liver underwent this protocol, but the Royal Free Hospital ensures that even livers not treated with the drugs must meet stringent transplant criteria.
Mr. Eisenberg's wife, Tertia, describes the trial as "an extraordinary miracle" for her husband. She has witnessed remarkable improvements in his health, noting, "When Adam first came home a year ago, he could barely get to a commode. He's now walking without a stick."
The couple expresses immense gratitude to the Royal Free team, with Mr. Eisenberg outlining his success criteria: "For Tertia, it'll be when the bed goes from the dining room. That's the benchmark. For me, it'll be when I can bend down to the floor or pick up a box."
This heartwarming tale of resilience and medical innovation exemplifies the power of cutting-edge research in the field of organ transplantation. The DeFat study shines as a beacon of hope, breathing new life into those facing life-threatening liver conditions.
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