Health authorities announced on Monday that an eight-month-old girl underwent a successful heart transplant on Sunday night, made possible by a cross-border organ donation.
In a statement, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau revealed that this was the second case of a cross-boundary organ donation. “Following the successful heart transplant for a four-month-old baby girl, Tsz-hei, in December 2022, Hong Kong and the mainland established a streamlined process for cross-border organ transplant cooperation,” said Professor Lo.
Lo added that over 100 personnel from 18 mainland authorities worked together to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of the organ across several locations.
The transplant took place at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, where the Health Bureau and Hospital Authority confirmed the successful procedure for baby Whitney. Dr. Nicholson Yam, Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery at HKCH and the lead surgeon, reported that the surgery lasted about 6.5 hours. Whitney is currently under close monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit, with the next 24 hours considered critical.
Whitney’s parents expressed deep gratitude to the medical teams and regional authorities for their efforts in securing a suitable heart. They also thanked the donor’s family for their selfless decision, giving Whitney a chance at a new life.
Dr. Simon Tang, Director of Cluster Services at the Hospital Authority, emphasized that all available networks were used to find a suitable heart for Whitney. He noted that after no suitable recipient was found on the mainland, the donor heart was sent to Hong Kong, where experts from both regions confirmed its suitability for the transplant.
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