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Fourteen years after a risky operation to save the life of an infant suffering heart failure, a team of U.K. doctors is claiming success. Hannah Clark (now aged 16)—who as a baby had a donor heart grafted onto her own—has made a full recovery, three years after the transplanted organ was removed, the doctors claim in an article published online today by The Lancet.

The "full recovery" part comes from the fact that Clark no longer needs to take immunosuppression medication that caused her to suffer from a type of cancer called Epstein-Barr-virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV PTLD), report the authors, who include Victor Tsang, a pediatric cardiac surgery specialist, and Magdi Yacoub, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Imperial College London (both led the surgery in February 2006).

Clark's doctors walked a tightrope for several years: the immunosuppressant drugs needed to keep her body from rejecting the donor heart were also responsible for her PTLD. In the end, they decided to remove the donor heart so that immunosuppression could be stopped altogether.

Their success "shows that the heart can indeed repair itself if given the opportunity," Douglas Zipes, a past president of the American College of Cardiology, told the Huffington Post. Miguel Uva, chairman of the European Society of Cardiology's group on cardiovascular surgery, called Clark's case "a miracle," adding that it was rare for patients' hearts to simply get better on their own.

Hannah's father, Paul Clark, described to CNN the difficult decision the family had to make at the time: "If she'd never had it done, she wouldn't be here. "In the very beginning it was a 50/50 chance she wasn't going to make the operation. But in the next one it was even greater because it had never been done before. But we had to take that risk."

The Los Angeles Times has a diagram of how the two hearts functioned together.

Image ©iStockphoto.com/ Tamara Murray

8 Comments

1. 1. eltay3 06:49 PM 7/14/09

   Let me see if I have this straight. Because it is "rare" for the heart to heal itself, when it happens, they claim it is " a miracle." Actually, it is completely natural for these type of things to occur. Rare, to be sure, but not "miraculous" at all.

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2. 2. irclay in reply to eltay3 09:16 PM 7/14/09

   Noun: miracle mirukl
   
   1. Any amazing or wonderful occurrence
   2.A marvellous event manifesting a supernatural act of a divine agent
   
   Adjective: miraculous mi'rakyulus
   1.Being or having the character of a miracle
   2.Peculiarly fortunate or appropriate; as if by divine intervention
   
   If you were to ask the parents of the child if it were a "amazing or wonderful occurrence" they would most likely say yes.
   If your comment was to dispute a devine intervention. You have all of eternity to discuss it with your maker. Ask him for one (a miracle)of your own he will give you one freely.
   Shame on you,you should not take what is not yours. Take a little girls miracle away from her. Just because you don't believe.
   

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3. 3. Michael F 10:24 PM 7/14/09

   irclay-
   
   While "Any amazing or wonderful occurrence" may be an acceptable definition, I believe that the word "miracle" is usually reserved for the second definition, implying a divine intervention.
   
   Also, I find it interesting how you speak so authoritatively on the topic. On what observable and testable data do you base your remarks? How exactly does one "ask him for one..." in order to "...get one freely"?
   
   Personally, I've never seen, nor heard of, the laws of physics being temporarily suspended. Ever. Unless an event excludes the possibility of natural explanation, it's faulty logic to assume a supernatural one.
   
   But hey, if it makes you feel better...
   
   

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4. 4. irclay 02:14 AM 7/15/09

   The definitions I supplied was taken from word web 5.5 a free desktop dictionary.
   
   As to your second question "how to ask" it is simple. either out loud or to yourself say "dear God if you are real please reveal yourself to me."
   If you do this; your first question will be answered by itself. If you want a "miracle" simply ask God for it in the name of Christ.
   Jn 16:23
   � Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
   
   1Jn 3:22
   �And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
   Jas 4:3
   �Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
   
   Mt 18:19
   �Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
   
   I have never "seen" Christ rise from the dead. However the scriptures tell us he did and I do believe he did. To me that blows the laws of physics smack out of the water.
   
   In 1982 the Dr. told me 6 months to live 1 year if I quit drinking. I am a walking and breathing miracle. Had I not had people praying for me I never would have quit drinking. I did not care! I did not want to know God! Not one person ever ask me to quit drinking. Not one. I should be dead. If not from drinking then just from my way of life!
   
   Again I tell you if you ask anything of God in the name of Christ He will give it to you! Please: try and prove Gods words wrong and you will find a nice surprise.
   
   And thanks It does make me feel better! I have a wonderful family and Grand children. No chains and full of life!
   
   Michael I hope I have answered your questions. I did not want to be preachy. But the only way I know how to tell you is by his words. Also my life experience I have felt the hand of God. Which if one that does not believe in God would sound quite silly. It did to me!
   
   
   

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5. 5. brian01 08:58 AM 7/15/09

   WTF!? What is this? Let's stop the bulls#*t arguing back and forth about religion [which you know we could do all day], and get back to discussion on the article. Irclay -- nobody here wants to hear your preaching about "God's word" blah, blah, blah so save it for a forum that cares.
   
   Personally, I find it amazing what modern medicine and science are capable of, and in no way equate any of this to "God" or "miracles." We are where we are today because brilliant minds have not given up on finding a solution to the problems we have been faced. "God" has nothing to do with this. Someday, maybe we will realize to stop for a moment and give credit where credit is due... to ourselves.

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6. 6. irclay in reply to brian01 04:34 PM 7/15/09

   brian01
   The Dr. equated it to a miracle first, not me! "Miguel Uva, chairman of the European Society of Cardiology's group on cardiovascular surgery, called Clark's case "a miracle,"
   My point if you read the comments is : If it is a miracle to the Dr or the European society of Cardiology, or to the family. Who are you or any body else to take that away from them! Let them call it what they want!
   Were you there,did you see what happened? I was not there myself.
   From the story it sounds like quite a haul for the child, the family and Dr's involved!
   
   As far as telling me where and when to post, you are not up to that! Unless you plan to single handedly remove the freedom of speech from our constitution!
   Michael F ask a question and I answered it to the best of my ability.To him not you.
   I did not argue with him or in any way dispute what he had to say. He is most free to have his thoughts and voice his opinion! Ask questions and have them answered! As are you.
   I also think it is amazing at the things the Dr's and researchers come up with. I also believe that the little girl is thrilled that this part of her journey through life is over. While she still has a chance to enjoy being a child.
   I say bravo to the Dr's and staff !! This may pave a way that others with similar problems might be helped. If we can get people that can to become donors.
   

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7. 7. edwincarino 01:29 AM 7/16/09

   personally i find it pretty much amazing, all the discovery that had been made, it made everything easy.

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8. 8. pgtruspace 01:08 AM 7/17/09

   I guess us dumb country rubes can't tell the difference between a medical miracle and divine intervention. I find that,people that have been educated way beyond their intelligence have this Pavlovian response to key words, maybe an effect caused by brain washing in high school or collage.
   
   Medical research has many accounts of the heart healing it's self when given a chance to rest.

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