Northwestern performs rare quadruple-organ transplant

Key Points:

• Elizabeth Wehrle, 36, underwent a groundbreaking quadruple-organ transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, receiving a liver, kidney, and a second set of lungs after her body rejected her first lung transplant.
• This surgery is believed to be the first in the U.S. performed on a patient who previously had a lung transplant, a procedure complicated by scarring and altered anatomy from the initial transplant.
• Wehrle, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 11, faced severe health decline after contracting pneumonia, leading to her being placed on life support and ultimately requiring the complex transplant.
• The transplant was conducted in two stages over several days, involving removal of the rejected lungs, followed by implantation of new lungs, liver, and kidney from a single donor, with the latter organs maintained on perfusion machines during surgery.
• Post-surgery, Wehrle is recovering well, participating in rehabilitation, and plans to return home soon; Northwestern doctors hope this successful operation will pave the way for similar complex transplants in the future.