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Methodist University Hospital Confirms Steve Jobs Liver Transplant
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I'm just a medical student so take this as just speculation but I would think that the most likely reason for his liver to fail would be because the original pancreatic cancer he had a while back spread to his liver. This doesn't give him the best prognosis however, so I hope that he had it for a different reason and that he recovers well.
How exactly does someone with cancer get approved for a liver transplant? It obviously spread to his liver, since the pancreatic bit. Other than the fact that Jobs has tons of money.
Maybe, maybe not. The liver disease wouldn't have to be related to the cancer. Having said that, liver transplant is a pretty good treatment for liver cancer, so that's why someone with liver cancer would get approved for a liver transplant.
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2003/10_30_03.html
Exactly. Medically it doesn't make sense to transplant. The less cynical side of me wonders if it is therefore unrelated to his cancer rather than the alternative that he is billionaire!
More facts
The requirement to have extra money is for cost beyond the transplant. Most major insurance covers transplants, the problem is when someone purchases insurance from a minor carrier which is not really a health insurance carrier, then they find they have very limited coverage. Transplant centers also impose other conditions to ensure good use of a limited pool of organs. As an example, there was a male from a western state who was developmentally delayed, his mother was schizophrenic, the hospitals denied his transplant. They found a state that would do it, the transplant ensued and the mother got off her meds, did not give the child the rejection meds and the liver failed. That liver was wasted and someone died because that patient was at the right place at the right time. This is why UNOS exists, to parcel out fair treatment of all. I am aware of a number of wealthy and influential people who had transplants or their family got treatment. They waited like everyone else. And many of them devoted lots of time and effort and money to transplant programs in return to help those less fortunate. Most people are basically good, a situation like Mr. Jobs has scares the hell out of them, as it should, and they emerge healthier, grateful for their second chance and devoted to helping others. Fortunately, they have better character and intentions than a lot of people who flame away on message boards.
The man got another chance, his company still has him, his family has a father and husband for more time and we have the benefit of his particular genius and passion. Enjoy it, life is short. Celebrate his luck and good health. And show some gratitude for your own.
The requirement to have extra money is for cost beyond the transplant. Most major insurance covers transplants, the problem is when someone purchases insurance from a minor carrier which is not really a health insurance carrier, then they find they have very limited coverage. Transplant centers also impose other conditions to ensure good use of a limited pool of organs. As an example, there was a male from a western state who was developmentally delayed, his mother was schizophrenic, the hospitals denied his transplant. They found a state that would do it, the transplant ensued and the mother got off her meds, did not give the child the rejection meds and the liver failed. That liver was wasted and someone died because that patient was at the right place at the right time. This is why UNOS exists, to parcel out fair treatment of all. I am aware of a number of wealthy and influential people who had transplants or their family got treatment. They waited like everyone else. And many of them devoted lots of time and effort and money to transplant programs in return to help those less fortunate. Most people are basically good, a situation like Mr. Jobs has scares the hell out of them, as it should, and they emerge healthier, grateful for their second chance and devoted to helping others. Fortunately, they have better character and intentions than a lot of people who flame away on message boards.
The man got another chance, his company still has him, his family has a father and husband for more time and we have the benefit of his particular genius and passion. Enjoy it, life is short. Celebrate his luck and good health. And show some gratitude for your own.
The linked article is talking about primary liver cancers. Steve's is very likely to be a metastasis from his pancreatic primary - the article is talking about a different group of patients.
more facts
Depends on the type of cancer. If it were a hepatoma, he would be very unlikely to get the transplant. This tumor grows slowly and locally, so excision will largely cure it.
Depends on the type of cancer. If it were a hepatoma, he would be very unlikely to get the transplant. This tumor grows slowly and locally, so excision will largely cure it.
Exactly what I'm talking about. People have no idea how UNOS and organ allocation works and this thread does nothing but further the ignorance that is already rampant around organ and tissue donation. People die waiting for an organ because others don't take the time to really look into it.
Everyone please go to http://www.unos.org/ and read up about organ and tissue donation and allocation.
He could put a few billion into a fund for relatives of transplant donors, which pays out money to the estates of those that donate. Hopefully it would be self funding, i.e., from wise ethical investments it would grow enough each year to cover the payments.
This would encourage people to become donors, even within a system where many people make massive gains ($1m for an operation, that's a lot for a few specialist doctors, even if they spend a week practicing for each case) from a person's personal situation. Once that's done, we can make cars less safe in order to get more donors.
Personally if I died in a donor-situation, I would like it that bits of me would go on living, and went to save someone else's life.
The only advantage Jobs had with regards to his transplant was he didn't have to sell his home, car, etc to pay for his transplant. I have an aunt that's about to be placed on the liver transplant list, and her doctors have already warned her that the transplant itself will cost between $500,000-$1,000,000 and her post-transplant prescriptions will total $35,000 per year for the foreseeable future.
To top it off, she has insurance yet it's practically worthless. Surprisingly, most "normal people" insurance doesn't cover transplants.
Mmmmm I'm a surgeon at my center we transplant liver and kidneys almost on a daily basis, I've never heard of anyone being asked to pay upfront for a liver transplant or medications, yor statement is either false, inaccurate or your family member needs to do
ewhere else.
To stay on topic what is most interesting to me is the actual indication for the transplant, cause that with some other factors define his prognosis and survival. I guess that did not make it into the press release
I think the real question is what kind of liver did he get? Was it a new liver with a 1.5gb transfer rate, or did they use an update to get Steve the 3.0gb? Does his liver accept gestures? 
All joking aside, I saw a surgeon post on here. Does a person get the whole liver or since it regenerates do they divide a donated liver up into a few parts and give it to multiple patients? Just wondering if some lucky fan out there has the other half of the new Steve liver.
All joking aside, I saw a surgeon post on here. Does a person get the whole liver or since it regenerates do they divide a donated liver up into a few parts and give it to multiple patients? Just wondering if some lucky fan out there has the other half of the new Steve liver.
For what it's worth, I think the Steve Jobs' liver transplant hype will do more good than bad here on these forums - regardless of our levels of knowledge on the subject. If just one person has signed up to be an organ donor after reading about Steve's experience, isn't that worth it?
Well the liver came from a legitimate sources, UNOS, which would preclude any kind of foul play since who gets organs is dependent on what stage of the disease they are in. I think the fact that he did get the transplant is testament to the fact that he was indeed sicker than Apple was portraying him to be.
Nowhere did I mention in my post that they asked my aunt to pay "up front."
I was simply pointing out the real costs of a transplant and post-transplant prescriptions.By the way, those estimates were directly from the hospital's financial aid office, and are in line with what the two liver transplant survivors that we know within our community have paid/are paying.
It also looks like they're well within the national average at least according to Transplant Living.
http://www.transplantliving.org/beforethetransplant/finance/costs.aspx
Interesting information from the MSBNC article, something to keep in mind if I or a family member ever need a transplant.
You're right... why would APPLE fans care about STEVE JOBS? What has HE every done for us? NOTHING i tell you, NOTHING! And talk about a figurehead CEO... he doesn't make business OR product decisions! (you are an idiot)
Yup, because RICH people with cancer and liver failure don't really get THAT sick. I mean, logically... the fact that he is rich means he can't possibly be the sickest person in the hospital. oh wait, that also is ridiculously stupid.
Now... EVERYONE GO SIGN UP TO BE AN ORGAN DONOR.
seriously... steve aside... everyone should be signed up. in fact, the whole system should be opt-out, instead of opt-in.
also, you should not be able to GET an organ transplant unless you've been on the organ donation list. heck, unless your WHOLE FAMILY is on the list.
There is no excuse for ANYONE to not be an organ donor. So go freaking sign up already.
Remember---these are percentages only, not individual results. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary. You will notice the wide (probably statistically significant) variation in survival rate percentages. It depends on the skills of the surgeon/s, the type of cancers (some centers specialize in more "virulent" and late stage presentations), patient availability for follow-up, type of pre and post treatment (chemo/radiation/surgeries), etc. Some centers have higher survival/success rates because they don't take the riskier cases; that way the published success rates always look better than other centers and generate more referrals. Some centers throw caution to the wind and do commando surgery when justifiable.
I think the interesting thing will be to see how Jobs handles his life and focus at Apple. Speaking from personal experience (colo-rectal mucinogenic adenocarcinoma as a consequence of Crohns, doing great 3 years out just missing quite a bit of OEM body parts), cancer has a way of focusing your attention. Your BS threshold is greatly reduced, and separating important from not important is almost instantaneous. My approach is full steam ahead, life as normal, the adventure continues. Unlike TV movies of the week, most people living with cancer just want their regular life back--no world cruises, no watching every sunset. Just kiss the wife, hug the kids, settle the family feuds, and get your butt out of bed and go back to work.
This article indicates that patients will look for the (legitimate) hospital most likely to have the resources to perform an operation as quickly as possible. Doh?
This thread is already life-saving because at least one person has decided to become an organ donor after reading it. Good. Here's what I know about the process.
UNOS handles "the transplant list".
The UNOS list is a national list.
Transplant organs are distributed nationally.
The only relevance of state wait times is to show which states have sicker transplant patients. In this case, Tennessee patients are sicker, and thus have shorter wait times.
The number of transplant patients listed with UNOS is also misleading.
Tennessee's population is 17% of California.
Tennessee's number of patients listed with UNOS is 18% of California.
Or conspiracy theorists will connect the dots...this from a commenter in a NYT op-ed:
Al Gore, from Tennessee; Al Gore, on the Apple Board of Directors; Steve Jobs lives in California, long waiting list for a liver; Steve Jobs goes to Tennessee and all is taken care of.
I personally don't believe this, but amazing what some people will think of.
Al Gore, from Tennessee; Al Gore, on the Apple Board of Directors; Steve Jobs lives in California, long waiting list for a liver; Steve Jobs goes to Tennessee and all is taken care of.
I personally don't believe this, but amazing what some people will think of.
Yes please ... hurry - before someone learns something or disputes something with which you disagree! Good call!
For what it's worth, I think the Steve Jobs' liver transplant hype will do more good than bad here on these forums - regardless of our levels of knowledge on the subject. If just one person has signed up to be an organ donor after reading about Steve's experience, isn't that worth it?
This isn't a matter of disagreeing. This is a matter of life and death.
If you didn't read my earlier post, I received a liver transplant 17 years ago this July 4th. I now do public speaking for my local organ procurement agency to dispel the many rumors and misconceptions that the media, and general ignorance, so easily instills in people. My father is the president of the board of Lifeline of Ohio Organ Procurement, the OPO in charge of most of Ohio as well as part of West Virginia. I work in video production and just recently finished a 6 part series on organ transplantation for prospective donors and recipients for the Ohio State University Medical Center. I have actual, real-life, experience with organ and tissue donation and I've known too many people who've died because an organ didn't become available.
The point is, this thread is only contributing to the misconceptions in organ and tissue donation. The real facts can be found at http://www.unos.org . Steve Jobs getting a liver transplant has raised awareness of transplantation but this thread is not helping it anymore.
Firstly, thank you for the work you and your father do to improve awareness on and the process of organ transplantation.
I do believe that you'll benefit most from correcting and otherwise educating people rather than suggesting that they should stop speaking. Consider a debate with a Holocaust denier: you begin by listening to what he has to say, then you explain calmly why he is wrong, providing him with mountains of evidence. You cannot educate people by telling them that they are too ignorant to speak; that only reinforces their misconceptions.
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