Media Contact: Barry Zepel
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LOS ANGELES (Oct. 20, 1999) -- On his second birthday Abdullah Al-Abdani missed out on the party, but very literally received the gift of life. The toddler -- who couldn't yet toddle because he was too sick as a result of kidney failure -- had to skip his birthday party so that he could be transplanted with a donated organ that had just become available that very day. He had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai for the past seven months -- waiting for a transplant. For his father, Mohamed, though, this was not his first experience with kidney transplantation -- and with waiting. His older son, now 5, was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai for a total of 15 months as he waited for, and then recovered from, a kidney transplant in 1997.
According to pediatric nephrologist Elaine Kamil, M.D., both babies suffered from a genetically linked disorder known as juvenile nephronopthesis. "When Abdullah arrived here last December, he was malnourished and very weak," said Dr. Kamil. "Because kidney failure often causes patients to have a poor appetite, it was hard to get this little fellow to eat, and he was very thin."
Still, by careful and consistent treatment, Abdullah gained strength and was ready when the donor organ became available. "We had planned a big birthday party for him," said Vicki Brunn, Director of Child Life Services at Cedars-Sinai. "Then when he had to go to surgery for his transplant instead of to the party, we decided to give him another birthday party later -- when he could enjoy it. He's like family to us; he's been here for so long, and before that we took care of his brother."
The party, which will be held in the hospital's Pediatric Playroom, will feature a "Bubble Man," birthday cake, decorations and goody bags for the guests -- who are other patients on the pediatrics unit.
According to J. Louis Cohen, M.D., transplant surgeon, what makes this case unique is that there were two brothers from the same family who needed kidney transplants, and that Baby Abdullah's donor kidney became available on his birthday. "Apart from that, the 1-1/2 hour surgery was very routine, and the baby has enjoyed an excellent recovery," he said.
"His prognosis is excellent," agreed Dr. Kamil. "The first few months are the ones with the highest risk, but this kidney could potentially last 20 to 30 years."
"He's so much more energetic , animated and happy, now that he feels better," added Brunn. "He's finally getting a chance to learn to walk -- when he first came, he was too sick to try. Now, though, with his new kidney, he's becoming a real toddler for the first time."
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