hkskyline
January 11th, 2006, 04:03 AM
HK surgeons win top honour for liver transplants
10 January 2006
South China Morning Post
Four surgeons from the University of Hong Kong's liver transplant team were awarded a top scientific prize by Beijing yesterday.
It is the first time local scientists have won first-class honours at the mainland's top science and technology award.
The team's achievement in "adult-to-adult right lobe live donor liver transplantation" was one of 800 entries competing for the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Fan Sheung-tat, from HKU's surgery department, and team members Lo Chung-mau, Liu Chi-leung and Chan See-ching have successfully refined surgical procedures to increase patients' chances of survival.
Conventionally, liver grafts from a living donor are from the left lobe, which is generally too small for most adult recipients.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post last night during a break in a 12-hour transplant, Professor Lo said the team was excited about the award. "We conducted the world's first transplant using the right lobe in 1996 {hellip} the technique is now being used in other countries, it helps save many lives."
Professor Fan said the operation was a major breakthrough as it overcame the problems of organ shortage and graft-size limitation.
Another benefit of the procedure was that it reduced the blood loss level and cut surgery time.
The team has conducted about 200 such transplants.
10 January 2006
South China Morning Post
Four surgeons from the University of Hong Kong's liver transplant team were awarded a top scientific prize by Beijing yesterday.
It is the first time local scientists have won first-class honours at the mainland's top science and technology award.
The team's achievement in "adult-to-adult right lobe live donor liver transplantation" was one of 800 entries competing for the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Fan Sheung-tat, from HKU's surgery department, and team members Lo Chung-mau, Liu Chi-leung and Chan See-ching have successfully refined surgical procedures to increase patients' chances of survival.
Conventionally, liver grafts from a living donor are from the left lobe, which is generally too small for most adult recipients.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post last night during a break in a 12-hour transplant, Professor Lo said the team was excited about the award. "We conducted the world's first transplant using the right lobe in 1996 {hellip} the technique is now being used in other countries, it helps save many lives."
Professor Fan said the operation was a major breakthrough as it overcame the problems of organ shortage and graft-size limitation.
Another benefit of the procedure was that it reduced the blood loss level and cut surgery time.
The team has conducted about 200 such transplants.