Boy’s organs kills two transplant recipients, leads to cancer in two others
This is a sad story that once again brings national attention to mistakes that are made due to the dire need for transplant organs in the U.S.
The story began when a 14-year old boy took ill and died from what doctors thought was bacterial meningitis – the deadliest form of meningitis.
Alex Koehne was given a course of IV antibiotics that was supposed to kill the deadly bacteria and prevent the bacteria from reaching his vital organs.
After his death, doctors harvested his organs (at his parents request) and transplanted the organs into four recipients.
But what doctors thought was bacterial meningitis turned out to be a rare form of lymphoma (cancer). A 52-year-old man who received Alex’s liver was the first to die of cancer followed in quick succession by the death of a 36-year-old woman who received Alex’s pancreas.
Doctors removed Alex’s kidneys from two other transplant recipients but those patients are now fighting cancer.
“Our jaws dropped,” said the boy’s father Jim Koehne. “We walked out of there crying.”
Experts say this kind of tragedy is rare. But mistakes are occurring with more frequency due to the urgency to find transplant organs for patients on waiting lists all over the country. (Source)
Related posts:
- Natalie Cole’s sister dies during kidney transplant drama
- ‘Kelly Bundy’ diagnosed with breast cancer
- Medical Minute: Stomach Cancer
- Medical Minute: Light skinned blacks more prone to getting skin cancer
- Medical Minute: Ovarian Cancer
15 Responses to “Boy’s organs kills two transplant recipients, leads to cancer in two others”
Comments are closed for this post
Dam, sad story all around. I hope no one tries to sue.
Damn, thats devestating.
WOW.That’s sad.And we though mixing blood types were bad.My heart goes out to those families.
Sure is a sad story. Extremely hard to take the time to screen for everything to see if a organ is transplantable when one passes. They family did do the right thing, just one of those rare instances.
This is very sad:(
Yea i heard about this.. Sad story, But now I wonder will the families sue and go after the hospitals and doctors in this case. This has affected 4 families!
Wow.. This is sad. I just pray for those four recepients and also the boy’s family.I know they are heartbroken over the outcome of trying to give life after life was taken from them.
That is devastating
There was a very similar story with someone that had HIV. I guy was listed as an organ doner and died in a car accident. Although the guy had only been giving 6 weeks to live, but instead died in a car accident.
They transplanted his vital organs to 4 patients that were waiting for organs. All of a sudden those patients turned up with AIDS.
The doctors were like that the guy had to have nfected with HIV within a week of his accident, because he didn’t have it the last time he was in the hospital for the disease his was given 6 weeks to live with.
It’s sad because his parents who donated his organs only did it in the intention of saving lives. So there was no malicious intent there. It’s unfortunate that now 5 lives are affected in the whole thing. Theboy who died and the 4 transplant recipients.
I read this. Truly a sad story, especially when a young person who hasn’t lived much passes on. He’s looking down, probably smiling.
Wow this is truly devasting, so is the story shhh told.
Man thats sad RIP
This is distrubing…I didn’t even know their was a problem!!!
A noble act by his parents turned tragic…very sad – may they all rest in peace