Amid the chaos surrounding COVID-19, Barron Shoemaker, a bright and energetic 1-year-old, got a life-saving gift – a new heart. The boy recently received a transplant at Texas Children’s Hospital where he had been waiting and cared for the past six months. He is now home in Temple, Texas. Read more
Texas Children’s Apheresis Program led by Dr. Poyyapakkam Srivaths has reached a milestone with the addition of a new service, photopheresis. Photopheresis is a medical treatment that causes photoactivation of white blood cells by separating them from blood, which are then exposed to a medication called 8-methoxypsoralen followed by UVA irradiation before returning the blood to the patient.
Texas Children’s is currently using this apheresis therapy for bone marrow transplant patients who are experiencing graft-versus-host disease and lung transplant patients who are undergoing organ rejection. Photopheresis is typically used when other treatments have failed.
We are the second institution in Houston to offer photopheresis, and the only program dedicated solely to pediatric patients.
“There was a tremendous multidisciplinary effort to make this happen,” said Dr. Tina Melicoff, medical director of Texas Children’s Lung Transplant team. “We are thrilled to now offer some of our transplant patients with rejection issues another treatment option through photopheresis.”
To be able to offer the service, two photopheresis machines were purchased and a core group of dedicated nurses were trained to operate it. Clinicians expect to treat about five patients a year with each patient receiving about three sessions a week for about 10 weeks. Each session lasts around two hours.
Texas Children’s recently conducted its first photopheresis treatment on a bone marrow transplant patient. The patient is expected to receive additional treatments over the next several months.
“By offering this therapy, we are offering hope to patients who already have been through so much,” said Dr. Robert Krance,” director of Texas Children’s Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant/Stem Cell Transplant Program. “Photopheresis is a promising therapy for our patients experiencing host-versus-graft and organ rejection.”
Photopheresis is the second new extracorporeal therapy introduced in the past 20 years at Texas Children’s. The last extracorporeal therapy, Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System, or MARS, was introduced six years ago for liver failure patients.
“MARS helped to transform our liver transplant program,” said Chief of Renal Services Dr. Michael Braun. “I am hopeful photopheresis will have a similar impact for our BMT and lung transplant patients.”
For the second consecutive year, Transplant Services at Texas Children’s was named the top pediatric transplant center in the US, performing a remarkable 106 solid organ transplants in 2019. That figure includes the highest volume of pediatric liver and lung transplants in the United States.
For the year, we performed:
In addition to top notch volumes, the transplant team’s one-year survival data, as reported on the January 2020 Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) outcomes report, was better than the expectation in each of our four programs.
“Our numbers and outcomes data are a true testament to the magnitude and quality of our program,” said Dr. John Goss, medical director of Transplant Services. “I am extremely proud of and thankful for our team and their commitment to being the absolute best at what they do.”
Goss added that he also is appreciative of our donors whose generous and selfless decisions make transplants possible. “Without our donors, many of our patients would run out of options,” he said.
Transplant Services provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referral to hospitalization and outpatient management. Our team of experts includes physicians and surgical advanced practice providers, transplant coordinators, pediatric ventricular assist device coordinators, perfusionists, child life specialists, dietitians, social workers, financial counselors, pharmacists, inpatient and outpatient nursing and support staff, Perioperative Services, physical and occupational therapists, Radiology, Pathology, our LifeGift partners, and many others.
Since its inception, Transplant Services has grown at a steady pace and is now one of the largest pediatric transplant programs in the nation with a total of more than 1,800 solid organ transplants performed. Our depth of skill and service enables us to offer world-class care for patients, from newborns to young adults, in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. That expertise has allowed us to successfully treat some cases that other national and international programs might consider untreatable.
Members of the Transplant Team are involved in academic research as well. That research is presented at many national and international conferences, and contributes to advancing the practice of pediatric transplant as a whole.
Transplant Services is accredited by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and is fully accredited by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
“Congratulations to everyone on our Transplant Services team,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “Everyone on this team does an amazing job at providing excellent care and support for our transplant patients and families.”
Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s.
A year’s worth of planning and preparation came to fruition last month as Texas Children’s Hospital hosted the 24th Annual Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) Conference, bringing together experts from more than 40 national and international liver transplant centers.
The two-day event, designed for health care professionals involved in the care of pediatric liver transplant patients, featured speaker presentations, panel discussions, and case and poster presentations. Major discussion session topics included:
Texas Children’s multidisciplinary approach to liver transplant care was on display throughout. Of the 36 presenters who spoke, 15 were from Texas Children’s and academic affiliate Baylor College of Medicine. This year’s SPLIT meeting also boasted the best attendance ever, with 236 attendees, which included physicians, surgeons, advanced practice providers, trainees, data and transplant coordinators, dietitians and social workers.
The event was spearheaded by Dr. Daniel Leung, Texas Children’s Director of Pediatric Hepatology and Liver Transplant Medicine, and the event’s Continuing Medical Education (CME) Activity Director; and Melissa Nugent, education coordinator for Transplant Services, who was the event organizer and the meeting’s Nurse Planner for Continuing Nursing Education. Thanks in large part to the planning committee, the conference was such a success that it won Texas Children’s award for Best CME Course.
The planning committed included:
“It was an honor to be selected to host this year’s SPLIT Conference,” said Leung. “We not only showcased the breadth of our subspecialty expertise – including ICU, infectious diseases, immunology, interventional radiology, transfusion medicine, nephrology and others – all dedicated to pre- and post-lever transplant care at Texas Children’s, but we also continue to lead the country by example in how we collaborate and learn from one another. I am truly grateful for our special team of surgeons, hepatologists, coordinators, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers. It really does take a village.”
About SPLIT
The Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation is a unique multidisciplinary, multicenter consortium focused on optimizing outcomes pediatric liver transplantation through research, advocacy, and dissemination of best practice in this field. SPLIT is the only such academic body dedicated to pediatric liver transplantation.
About Transplant Services at Texas Children’s
Transplant Services at Texas Children’s was the nation’s largest pediatric transplant program in 2018, performing a remarkable 107 solid organ transplants including the highest volumes of pediatric liver, lung and kidney transplants.
Transplant Services provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referral to hospitalization and outpatient management. Our team of experts includes physicians and surgical advanced practice providers, transplant coordinators, pediatric ventricular assist device coordinators, perfusionists, child life specialists, dietitians, social workers, financial counselors, pharmacists, inpatient and outpatient nursing and support staff, Perioperative Services, physical and occupational therapists, Radiology, Pathology, our LifeGift partners, and many others.
Our depth of skill and service enables us to offer world-class care for patients, from newborns to young adults, in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. That expertise has allowed us to successfully treat some cases that other national and international programs might consider untreatable.
Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s Hospital.
On April 26, superheroes of all sizes assembled on The Auxiliary Bridge to celebrate National Pediatric Transplant Week, observed each year during the last full week of National Donate Life Month in April.
The event, hosted by Texas Children’s Transplant Services, marked the end of a week that focuses on the powerful message of ending the pediatric transplant waiting list. There were plenty of fun activities for children, including karaoke, hula-hooping, coloring and crafts, a photo wall, and a visit from Elsa, one of Texas Children’s three therapy dogs. There were also educational materials available on organ donation and transplantation.
The event also honored real-life superheroes – the donor families whose children have saved and healed lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.
The gift of an organ transplant comes to one family as another family is enduring the most difficult time of their lives. The team in Transplant Services works hand in hand with Texas Children’s Spiritual Care Department during these times to provide donor families with compassionate support, to honor the choice to donate an organ, and to honor the legacy of the patient.
There are several ways we recognize the legacies of these children and their families, including:
In addition to these heartfelt moments of acknowledgement and remembrance, Texas Children’s Hospital has begun a new tradition to honor our donor families.
As the sun went down on April 22, Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower was illuminated in green and white. The tower was lit each evening for the rest of the week, both in commemoration of National Donate Life Month and Pediatric Transplant Week, and also as a tribute to our donor families. Going forward, the lighting of the tower will serve as yet another way Texas Children’s acknowledges them.
“Nothing we do would be possible without our donor families, and we wanted to find another way to honor them,” said Dr. John Goss, medical director of Transplant Services. “Now when people see Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower lit in green and white, they will know there’s a hero here at Texas Children’s who has just given the gift of life.”
Transplant Services at Texas Children’s was the nation’s largest pediatric transplant program in 2018, performing a remarkable 107 solid organ transplants including the highest volumes of pediatric liver, lung and kidney transplants.
Transplant Services provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referral to hospitalization and outpatient management. Our team of experts includes physicians and surgical advanced practice providers, transplant coordinators, pediatric ventricular assist device coordinators, perfusionists, child life specialists, dieticians, social workers, financial counselors, pharmacists, inpatient and outpatient nursing and support staff, Perioperative Services, physical and occupational therapists, Radiology, Pathology, our LifeGift partners, and many others.
Our depth of skill and service enables us to offer world-class care for patients, from newborns to young adults, in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. That expertise has allowed us to successfully treat some cases that other national and international programs might consider untreatable.
Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Transplant Services at Texas Children’s once again led the way as the nations’ largest pediatric transplant program, performing a remarkable 107 solid organ transplants in 2018. That figure includes the highest volume of pediatric liver, lung and kidney transplants in the United States.
For the year, we performed:
“I want to congratulate everyone on our outstanding Transplant Services team, which continues to provide excellent care and support for our transplant patients and families,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “I would also like to thank the leaders of our transplant programs – Dr. John Goss, Dr. Jeffrey Heinle, Dr. Jeff Dreyer, Dr. Tina Melicoff, Dr. Daniel Leung, Dr. Christine O’Mahony, Dr. Eileen Brewer and Dr. Ryan Himes – who go above and beyond to uphold high standards.”
Transplant Services provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referral to hospitalization and outpatient management. Our team of experts includes physicians and surgical advanced practice providers, transplant coordinators, pediatric ventricular assist device coordinators, perfusionists, child life specialists, dieticians, social workers, financial counselors, pharmacists, inpatient and outpatient nursing and support staff, Perioperative Services, physical and occupational therapists, Radiology, Pathology, our LifeGift partners, and many others.
Our depth of skill and service enables us to offer world-class care for patients, from newborns to young adults, in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. That expertise has allowed us to successfully treat some cases that other national and international programs might consider untreatable.
“This is another tremendous milestone for our program,” said Dr. John Goss, medical director of Transplant Services. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team for their commitment toward achieving positive outcomes and for the dedication they show our patients every day.”
One of those patients is Jameson Finney.
For the first 12 years of his life, Jameson was an active little boy that always moved at 100 miles an hour, his parents said. There was never the slightest indication that he might have a heart condition. On Christmas Day 2017, while opening presents with his family, Jameson suddenly became ill. Two days later, he was admitted to Texas Children’s heart failure intensive care unit and diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle – typically starting in the left ventricle – begins to stretch and become thin. The dilation makes the muscle unable to contract properly, which weakens the heart and can lead to heart failure.
Jameson was experiencing severe heart failure and needed life-saving surgery as soon as possible. Texas Children’s congenital heart surgeon Dr. Iki Adachi implanted a ventricular assist device on December 31, which improved Jameson’s condition so much that we was able to go home after less than a month. But his journey wasn’t over. Jameson’s best chance at survival now was a heart transplant, and he was placed on the list on March 30, 2018 – Good Friday. Less than two months later, Jameson received the miraculous gift of a new heart. Adachi, who also performed the transplant, said Jameson has been doing very well since his surgery.
Jameson’s story is just one example of the amazing work done by Transplant Services in 2018. But none of the work we do would be possible without the selfless decisions that our donor families make during the most difficult time of their lives.
“Our donor families are heroes, said Goss. “They truly give our patients a second chance at life.”
Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s.
On October 6, nearly 500 Texas Children’s patients, parents and employees took a walk on the wild side at the Houston Zoo for the first Fall Family Festival, sponsored by Texas Children’s Transplant Services.
“It’s special for these patients to have an event like this,” said Medical Director of Transplant Services Dr. John Goss. “It’s exciting for these children to be able to play and interact with each other, and it’s truly a testament to what our multidisciplinary team can do.”
It was a morning full of fun and festivities, as 106 current and former Texas Children’s transplant patients and their families gathered for face painting, snow cones, music from a live DJ and a lunch buffet at the Masihara Pavilion. Rather than holding a special ceremony, the festival simply provided kids with an opportunity to come together and have fun with other kids who’ve been through similar ordeals, and to remind them that they’re not alone.
“Being together in a fun, social setting is so important for transplant recipients,” said Riki Graves, whose daughter, Juliana, had a life-saving heart transplant at Texas Children’s in 2014 – at just 17 days old. “This event was a wonderful way to let kids get know to know other kids who’ve been through transplant, or are waiting, so they can feel like normal kids and not like a sick child who is different or needs special care.”
Graves says the event was also a special way to thank transplants recipients’ biggest supporters – their siblings – who usually feel the hospital stays and extra care given to the recipients more deeply than the rest of the family.
Transplantation began at Texas Children’s in 1984, when Dr. Denton Cooley performed a pediatric heart transplant. Since that time, Transplant Services at Texas Children’s Hospital has grown into one of the largest pediatric programs in the nation, performing 112 solid organ transplants in 2017, making it the most active pediatric transplant program in the nation. Our depth of skill and service, both within the program and throughout the hospital, gives us the ability to care for newborns to young adults in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants.
Transplant Services is proud of its long list of firsts, including the hospital’s first – and 1 of only 3 in the nation – triple transplant of heart, lungs and liver in one procedure. We also performed the first pediatric lung-kidney transplant in the United States. Since 2004, 25 patients have been transplanted with double organs, including liver-kidney, liver-lung, heart-lung, heart-kidney and lung-kidney.
Learn more about Transplant Services at Texas Children’s.
