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G11 - March 2006 - Liver Transplant for Hepatitis C
Intro: It's a disease that can slowly kill you, and many people don't even know they have it. Hepatitis C. You can get hepatitis C from a variety of sources including tainted blood transfusions and dirty needles. But sometimes you can't pinpoint the cause. That's what happened to one man whose liver failed because of the disease. His last hope was a liver transplant. But he needed a donor to receive the gift of life. More from Mayo Clinic.
| Video | Audio |
| Total running time 1:30 | "ADD SOME FOOD TO THE TANK." ENJOYING THE OCEAN'S CREATURES IS A PASSION JOHNNY AGUIRE SHARES WITH HIS FAMILY. |
Johnny Aguire |
"WE DO SOME COLLECTING OF ANEMONES, SEA URCHINS AND SHELLS." |
| AND LOTS OF COLORFUL FISH. BUT THESE DAYS JOHNNY'S ONLY CONTACT WITH THE OCEAN IS THROUGH HIS AQUARIUM. YOU SEE, LIVER FAILURE CAUSED BY HEPATITIS C HAS KEPT HIM OUT OF THE WATER FOR MONTHS. | |
| Johnny Aguire | "THE DOCTORS DIAGNOSED ME WITH END STAGE LIVER DISEASE." |
To animation |
IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 20 YEARS FOR HEPATITIS C TO DESTROY YOUR LIVER. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE VIRUS INFECTS YOUR LIVER CELLS. YOUR BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM THEN ATTACKS THESE CELLS AND FORMS SCAR TISSUE. EVENTUALLY THE SCAR TISSUE PREVENTS THE LIVER FROM FUNCTIONING. IT CAN NO LONGER METABOLIZE FOOD OR CLEAR TOXINS FROM YOUR BLOOD. MEDICATION DIDN'T WORK FOR JOHNNY. |
David Mulligan, M.D. |
"AND SO THE TREATMENT IS TO REMOVE THE OLD DAMAGED CIRRHOTIC LIVER AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW LIVER FROM A DONOR." |
Standup |
DR. DAVID MULLIGAN SAYS PEOPLE WHO GET LIVER TRANSPLANTS USUALLY DO VERY WELL. MOST OF THEM CONTINUE TO THRIVE FOR 10 OR MORE YEARS AFTER SURGERY. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 18,000 PATIENTS IN THIS COUNTRY ON THE TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST AND ONLY 6,000 DONORS. |
| David Mulligan, M.D. | "UNFORTUNATELY, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ORGANS TO MEET THE DEMAND." |
| JOHNNY WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. AFTER THREE DAYS ON THE LIST JOHNNY GOT A NEW LIVER. | |
| VO: Johnny with family/fish | AND SOON JOHNNY WILL BE WELL ENOUGH TO ENJOY THE OCEAN DEPTHS WITH HIS FAMILY AGAIN. |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. | |
Tag: Johnny was very, very sick before he got his new liver, and it will take some time for him to gain his strength.
Dr. Mulligan wants to encourage you to consider being an organ donor if you're not already. He says being an organ donor is the best way to leave this earth as a hero. For more information log on to our Web site at ...
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