The operation team paid a silent tribute to Xiaoxin’s body. Photo by Shi Peng

Beijing, Nanning, February 19 (Shi Peng, Zhang Guangquan) - Xiaoxin (pseudonym), an 11-year-old girl in Pubei, Qinzhou, Guangxi, died of brain death. Her parents decided to donate her liver. On February 19, the reporter learned from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University that at present, Xiaoxin’s liver has been successfully transplanted to a 3-year-old child with severe liver disease, completing the life relay.

In December 2019, Xiaoxin, an 11 year old girl who lives in Qinzhou, was found to have nephrotic syndrome. After a period of treatment, Xiaoxin’s condition did not improve.

The picture shows a child liver transplantation team undergoing surgery. Photo by Shi Peng

On February 2, Xiaoxin lost consciousness and began to enter a coma. On February 14, Xiaoxin was transferred to PICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University for treatment. Finally, Xiaoxin was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus.

According to Dr. Yang Zhiyong of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Xiaoxin was in a deep coma and had no spontaneous breathing when she was admitted to the hospital. The brain death determination procedure was started according to China’s child brain death determination standard.

On February 16, the doctor determined that Xiaoxin met the criteria of brain death. After careful consideration, Xiaoxin’s parents decided to donate Xiaoxin’s useful organs.

Xiaoxin’s father told reporters that donating Xiaoxin’s organs to people in need is “also a kind of rebirth” for Xiaoxin.

On February 17, the children’s liver transplantation team of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University successfully transplanted Xiaoxin’s liver to a 3-year-old child with severe liver disease for more than 10 hours, completing the life relay.

According to Dong chunqiang, director of the first ward of pediatric surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, the 3-year-old boy suffered from hereditary metabolic disease and familial cholestasis, weighing only 8 kg. From birth to now, the child has been suffering from illness and liver function has gradually lost its function.

“The child has entered the end stage of liver dysfunction. For the child, he urgently needs a liver transplant to save his life.” Dong chunqiang said that the child’s parents originally wanted to donate their liver to the child, but unfortunately their liver did not match the child. “Xiaoxin’s donation can be said to bring the three-year-old boy back to life”.

Dong chunqiang introduced that the transplantation was very successful, and the child’s liver function has gradually begun to recover after the operation. If everything goes well, about half a year, the child’s health index will likely return to the state of children of the same age. (end)