A two-year-old Chinese boy who recently had part of his father's liver transplanted into his body is recovering well, becoming the youngest liver recipient ever in China.

The operation was conducted in the Xijing Hospital affiliated to the No. 4 Medical College of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in this capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Liu Xiaojian, from north China's Hebei Province, was suffering from serious liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly, and could only be saved through a liver transplant, doctors said.

During the nine-hour operation on May 4, doctors removed the boy's ailing liver and replaced it with part of his father's.

With his liver function recovering to normal, the boy now can even run around and play, doctors said.

According to statistics, as many as 500 liver transplant operations have so far been conducted in China.

(People’s Daily 06/12/2001)