Saturday, May 30, 2015
WARREN/PITTSBURGH
Jamie, a 4-year-old girl in the custody of Trumbull County Children Services, remained in serious but stable condition Friday, just two days after undergoing a living liver transplant at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
At a press conference Friday at the hospital, doctors said Jamie’s condition before the transplant was so serious that it was unlikely she would have lived another two weeks. Marilyn Pape, children services department manager for foster care and adoption, said the congenital condition caused bile to remain in Jamie’s liver.
The donor, David Denovchek of Niles, is a true hero and lifesaver, said Pape, who attended the press conference at which doctors who performed surgery on Jamie and Denovchek spoke and answered media questions.
One of the doctors said he was humbled that a stranger would donate part of his liver to save Jamie’s life, Pape said. He said “it’s pretty extraordinary,” she added.
Pape talked briefly with Denovchek, who also down-played his role in giving 25 percent of his liver to Jamie to give her a chance at life.
Pape said one of the doctors said Denovchek’s liver was a perfect match physically for Jamie.
Denovchek was one of several hundred who responded to a plea for potential donors made several weeks ago by TCCS.
According to the American Liver Foundation, liver- transplant surgery usually takes between four and 12 hours, and most patients stay in the hospital for up to three weeks after surgery. Jamie’s surgery took 14 hours. Donations come from living donors, as in Jamie’s case, and nonliving donors whose blood type and body size match the person receiving the transplant.
Pape said Jamie likely will be in the intensive-care unit for another week if things go well, and Denovchek another day or so.
Pape said doctors were optimistic about Jamie’s condition.
“They said they are watching her very closely, but that all the signs are what they expected them to be at this point,” Pape said.
She noted that Jamie’s foster parents, who have been at her side almost continuously, and staff members at TCCS are “thrilled” that a donor was found so quickly and that Jamie’s and Denovchek’s recoveries are on schedule.