News Releases

Organ Transplant Unit Grows to Meet Patient Needs

Houston, Texas, December 19, 2003 -- To meet the growing demand for services, the Transplant Surgical ICU at Memorial Hermann Hospital, which earlier this year reunited two of the nation’s leading transplant surgeons, has now moved into an all new unit, more than doubling its former size.

As the unit grows to 10 private-room beds from four, more staff is required. “We’re adding 18 specialized nursing positions,” says Transplant Services Director Donna Wallis, RN, BSN. “Fully staffed with 36 transplant nurses, we can continue to provide the highest level of individualized patient care.”

Hadar Merhav, M.D., and Luis Mieles, M.D., renowned transplant surgeons who were reunited by the hospital early in 2003, are now joined by transplant surgery pioneer, Rafael Botero, M.D. A native of Colombia, Botero founded the first successful liver transplant program in Bogota and is now Medical Director for Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Texas Liver Center. “I am honored to be associated with Dr. Mieles and Dr. Merhav,” says Botero “I believe Memorial Hermann has one of the best liver transplant programs in the United States.”

Memorial Hermann has led the way in the organ transplant field of medicine for more than two decades. The hospital saw its first kidney transplant in 1977. In 1980, Memorial Hermann was one of only three centers in the United States to test the anti-rejection drug Cyclosporine in humans. Since then, the Cyclosporine has become the cornerstone of most immunosuppressive regimens.

In 1985, Barry Kahan, M.D., assumed a leadership role by performing the first pancreas transplant in the state of Texas. That same year, Houston saw its first liver transplant performed at Memorial Hermann Hospital by Charles Van Buren, M.D.

Another milestone was reached in 1993. The first dose of the anti-rejection drug Rapamycen was administered to a kidney transplant patient. The drug, developed by doctors with The University of Texas Medical School, can reduce the rate of rejection from 40% to less than 10%. Rapamycen was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 and is currently used on kidney transplant patients.

To date, more than 4,000 transplants have been performed at Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Transplant Surgical ICU, and scientific discoveries continue to expand the hope and healing offered by this branch of medicine. Technology is currently being developed for Islet Cell transplantation, which will help the pancreas produce insulin. “We also are looking forward to adding a living donor program next year,” says Wallis. “Part of our commitment to this community is to keep Memorial Hermann on the forefront of transplant medicine in Houston.”

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