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The Daily Rant of Good ol' Cree Yellowlegs

 

 

 

Toronto General Hospital continues to lead the world in lung transplant innovation. Transplant surgeons at Toronto General Hospital have once again made medical history. For the first time in the world, a team of surgeons, led by Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, Director of Lung Transplant Program and holder of the F.G. Pearson-R.J. Ginsberg Chair in Thoracic Surgery, have pioneered an innovative technique to heal injured donor lungs and make them suitable for transplantation.

 

“This new technique heralds the new beginning of a new era in transplantation” says Dr. Marcelo Cypel, a transplant surgical fellow at TGH. “It has allowed us to progress from preserving donor lungs to actually being able to repair some of the injury before transplantation.”

 

The use of this “ex vivo” or outside the body technique enables doctors to heal donor lungs that would have otherwise been too diseased or injured to implant in another person. “To see these lungs that are damaged and 12 hours later are perfect is fascinating.” Says Dr. Keshavjee. This development is expected to expand the lung donor organ pool, offering hope to many more individuals waiting for a lung transplant. Currently, about 20% of people on the wait list die before ever receiving a transplant.

 

“Worldwide, this strategy could easily double the number of lung transplants that are done,” explains Dr. Keshavjee. “It’s a phenomenally exciting advance.”

 

On December 5, 2008, Andy Dykstra, 56, became the first patient to receive a reconditioned pair of lungs. Just two weeks earlier, Andy couldn’t even get to his front door without feeling short of breath. Diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease five years ago, the airways in his lungs had become dangerously narrowed.

 

Thanks to the surgery, Andy was able to breathe without mechanical assistance just four days after the transplant. He went home from the hospital 12 days later. “We are extremely pleased that Andy is doing well,” says Dr. Keshavjee.

 

 

 

 

Medical Firsts

 

1922….World’s first clinical use of insulin in the treatment of diabetes

 

1935….World’s first clinical use of heparin as a blood thinner

 

1946….Canada’s first design and use of an artificial kidney

 

1950….World’s first use of an external heart pacemaker and use of a total body cooling to make heart surgery safer

 

1955….World’s first human heart valve

 

1962….World’s first coronary intensive care unit

 

1968….Ontario’s first heart transplant

 

1983….World’s first successful single lung transplant

 

1986….World’s first successful double lung transplant

 

1990….World’s first discovery of genes linked to hereditary blindness, Alzheimer’, Lou Gehrig’s and Huntington’s disease

 

2005….Canada’s first mitral valve repair on a beating heart without surgery

 

2006….North America’s first clinical use of the Novalung, an external artificial lung

 

2007….World’s first discovery of a second gene linked to Alzheimer’s disease

 

2008….World’s first human heart progenitor cells successfully grown from embryonic stem cells

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a sometimes update on my daughter's condition and progress, please click on this link: http://www.stellallazarus.myknet.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Morning Update

04/07/09

 

 

Hello.....good morning....day thirteenish of the City of Toronto garbage strike....hehehe.....and you know what....i saw a big six-drawer dresser that was thrown away yesterday....all that were broken were couple of hinges....it was just sitting there in the garbage pile....it was so nice.....so enticing...hehehe......i almost crawled up to it and snatched it....hehehe....but then i figured it must be a trap for the garbageman....so i let it be....hehehe!

 

I heard from couple of a hard-core nhl hockey fans here in Toronto that the Toronto Maple Leafs had acquired three bullies for their team....three bashers....three bone breakers.....is that true.....hehehe...i could just see it already....next season....Toronto Maple Leafs....way in the bottom.....hehehe!

 

Ok....i'm not much of a hockey critic so i'll let that be and be on my merry way....hehehe....later folks!

 

Oh by the way....did you see my photo....way up there....where the bear was....hehehe....don't copy...heehee!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Evening Update

 

I am extremely worried to death....i haven't seen my wife now like....for the last five hours....my two daughters too are worried....her and Carrie went to the Value Village this afternoon....now i don't know about Carrie but my wife....i don't know....now that she knows where it is....we think she'll just be camping there forever....hehehe....crazy woman.....hehe...kidding!

 

When i was walking home....i saw a small plane go by....way up in the blue sky....and it was dragging a banner....something was written on it....now, i don't know about everyone in this city....but am i the only one who can't read that....way up there....small banner.....holy smokes do they think we're supermen down here....hehehe....we can't see that far....hehehe....idiots!

 

Ok....someone is knocking at the door....later! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Favourite Websites

• K-Net
• My youngest daughter's homepage

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

 

 

creeyellowlegs@knet.ca

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