| News From Transplant Week of March 31, 2002 / Vol. 3 No. 13 |
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NY: Six-Month Ban on Living-Donor Transplants at Mount Sinai Will Stand |
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The New York State Health Department said it has no intention of shortening the six-month ban on living-donor liver transplants at Mount Sinai Hospital as it continues to investigate 29 transplant cases, 21 of them deaths. "It won't be any earlier," said spokesperson John Signor. His statement followed a suggestion by hospital spokesperson Joan Lebow that Mount Sinai was "hoping the ban will be lifted early." "There's a growing number of cases we're seeing," said Health Department spokesman Rob Kenny. The 29 cases involve two liver donors and 27 patients who were waiting for or had received liver transplants. The ban on living-donor transplants was imposed on March 12th as part of sanctions levied against Mount Sinai for inadequate post-surgical care in the death of liver-donor Mike Hurwitz (see Transplant Week story.) State Health Department officials were at Mount Sinai all last week, and Signor said: "We are not going to rush. We're going to make sure we do a thorough investigation. When it's complete, the findings will be made public." The department said it was taking seriously all allegations regarding liver transplants at Mount Sinai. Spokesman Kenny said it was "not unusual to have an increase in complaints” following a case like the death of Mike Hurwitz, a liver-donor whose death was attributed in part to "woefully inadequate post-surgical care." Kenny said investigators were examining records and interviewing medical personnel "regarding infection control and protocols.” Other sources: NY Post, Albany Times Union, Newsday, NY Daily News, NY Health Department |
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