could be one of the first recipients in their new program ,” he says . “ I ’ d already made up my mind that I was going to take it , because hepatitis is treatable .”
According to transplant physician Shikha Mehta , MD , lately there has been an increase in available organs , largely because of the hepatitis C and opioid epidemics that tragically claim the lives of otherwise healthy young people . “ Improved therapies for hepatitis C are a major breakthrough that allow us to use these organs , which would otherwise be discarded ,” she says . “ This offers patients on the transplant waitlist a chance of surviving .”
Dr . Mehta notes that , while the University of Pennsylvania pioneered the transplantation of organs infected with hepatitis C in 2015 , UAB has the distinction of being one of the few hospitals that has invested its own resources into the program . “ Most programs conduct this type of transplantation under research protocols sponsored by drug companies ,” she says . “ UAB has promised to work with patients to ensure that the cost of the hepatitis C medication does not limit access to transplantation .”
To date , the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute has performed 40 transplants of organs with hepatitis C , including 16 liver transplants . While it ’ s difficult to quantify shortened wait times due to myriad donorrecipient matching variables , Dr . Mehta says that she ’ s seen anecdotal evidence of shorter wait times . “ This is an additional pool of organs that can be utilized for our patients ,” she notes .
UAB ’ s extensive education process provides transplant candidates with all of their treatment options , as well as the risks and benefits of each . Prior to being placed on the transplant list , UAB obtains a patient ’ s informed consent . “ On the day the organ offer is made , the patient again goes through the process of informed consent ,” Dr . Mehta says . “ Only when they agree do we proceed with the transplantation .”
That echoes Wright ’ s experience . “ They can offer a hepatitis liver , but you don ’ t have to take it ,” he says . “ I figured that , if it didn ’ t work out , I ’ d live longer and have a chance to pop back on the wait list .”
Following his surgery , Wright was given medicine to clear his new liver of hepatitis C , along with the medications typically given to transplant patients . “ I tested negative by the time I was discharged , though I continued to take the medication for 12 weeks ,” he says . Dr . Mehta notes that the treatment is one drug , twice per day for 8-12 weeks . “ Survival is excellent for these patients ,” she says . “ We haven ’ t observed any complications from hepatitis treatment in our patient population .”
Wright , like every transplant patient , has had a grueling but rewarding road to recovery . Saying he was “ fileted like a fish with a hip-to-hip incision ,” Wright has taken endless blood draws , physical therapy , and leaky drains in stride . “ I was 100 percent positive ,” he recalls . “ I had 100 percent faith in myself , God , and the doctors .”
PROMOTING ORGAN DONATION Understandably , both Wright and Dr . Mehta are vocal advocates of organ donation . “ There are more than 110,000 patients waiting for a lifesaving organ , including 12,000 waiting for a liver transplant ,” Dr . Mehta says . “ Twenty people die each day waiting for an organ .” While some believe that those with acute or chronic hepatitis B or C aren ’ t allowed to be organ donors , Dr . Mehta says that ’ s simply not true . “ There is a great need for organ donation , and over 1,000 such organs are safely transplanted every year ,” she says . “ Imminent death can be avoided .”
Wright is tackling organ donation on two fronts : the personal and the political . “ Every time I interact with someone , I ask if they ’ re an organ donor ,” he says . “ One donor can save eight lives , and you can fill a football stadium three times with people needing a liver .” He also advocates for change in the way organ donations are handled . “ We should have a system where you ’ re automatically enrolled as an organ donor and have to actively opt out , instead of the other way around .”
Wright soon will have his final stent removed , calling that day “ my official graduation .” Then he ’ ll put the finishing touches on his letter to his donor ’ s family , thanking them for their generosity in giving him the gift of life .
PATIENT STORIES – LIVER uabmedicine . org / refertransplant 27