A Chinese father Thursday had a quarter of his liver transplanted to his three-year-old daughter,who is suffering from serious hepatocirrhosis, in an 18-hour operation beginning Wednesday morning.
More than 50 doctors and nurses were involved in the operation at the No.1 hospital of Beijing University. An expert was flown in from Hong Kong to supervise the operation.
Doctors said the operation was successful, but the patient, Dandan, still has to battle infection, rejection and other grave dangers to survive.
The girl was found suffering from a rare congenital liver disease soon after her birth. The disease could claim her life at any time, the doctors said.
"I am willing to give her my own liver, even there is only one hope in a thousand," said the father, a laid-off worker living on a government allowance.
(People's Daily December 14, 2001)
