Guest guest Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Bruce, Which Shands were you referring to? The one I go to is in Gainesville, Fl at UF. Love and Prayers, Peggyipf 6/04Worry looks around.Sorry looks back,Faith looks up. My doctors complained sometime back about the conservatism of some centers, particularly UTSW because its near, in not using lungs from older people. In spite of the fact over 50% of their recipients are over 50, only 5% of their donors are. Now in an ideal world that makes sense, but we're not in that world of unlimited lungs available (note that this applies to all organ transplants). Obviously the goal would be to give everyone needing a lung a healthy young set. However, given reality, should the goal be to have the highest percentages of successful transplants or to save the most lives through transplant? Should the potential recipient perhaps even get a say in advance as to how they would feel if they are 60 about a 55 year old set of lungs or a healthy 55 year old kidney or any other organ. Let me use an example too of patient selection. Shands is an excellent facility. However, their success rate is barely under a couple of the highest. But, I would put them at the top. Why? 20% of their recipients are over 65 and 73% are over 50. 20% of their lungs come from donors over 50. 50% of their donors died from stroke (national average 39%). 50% of their recipients were in condition to be hospitalized (national average 18%) and 27% were in ICU (national average 9%). Pretty impressive record I would say and not protected by selecting in such a way as to make statistics look good. I am frankly very excited right now for Gwynne too. I don't even want to look at the math because its too good, but the odds now between the two hospitals of her getting a transplant are tremendously improved. That means the odds of a successful transplant are as well. And I pray and somehow am convinced that I'm going to be eating lunch with Gwynne in the not distant future and I'll be the only one on oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Yes, that one...at first glance its stats aren't as impressive as some until you break them down and realize they are pretty incredible. Sort of like school system comparison. If I have a district with only wealthy college educated demographics and all kids have the best and I compare against a district with broad demographics then of course my scores will be higher even if I'm doing a poorer job educating. Shands does an excellent job with a much less favorable demographic than most hospitals. > > My doctors complained sometime back about the conservatism of some > centers, particularly UTSW because its near, in not using lungs from > older people. In spite of the fact over 50% of their recipients are > over 50, only 5% of their donors are. Now in an ideal world that > makes sense, but we're not in that world of unlimited lungs available > (note that this applies to all organ transplants). Obviously the goal > would be to give everyone needing a lung a healthy young set. > However, given reality, should the goal be to have the highest > percentages of successful transplants or to save the most lives > through transplant? Should the potential recipient perhaps even get a > say in advance as to how they would feel if they are 60 about a 55 > year old set of lungs or a healthy 55 year old kidney or any other > organ. > > Let me use an example too of patient selection. Shands is an > excellent facility. However, their success rate is barely under a > couple of the highest. But, I would put them at the top. Why? 20% of > their recipients are over 65 and 73% are over 50. 20% of their lungs > come from donors over 50. 50% of their donors died from stroke > (national average 39%). 50% of their recipients were in condition to > be hospitalized (national average 18%) and 27% were in ICU (national > average 9%). > > Pretty impressive record I would say and not protected by selecting > in such a way as to make statistics look good. > > I am frankly very excited right now for Gwynne too. I don't even want > to look at the math because its too good, but the odds now between > the two hospitals of her getting a transplant are tremendously > improved. That means the odds of a successful transplant are as well. > And I pray and somehow am convinced that I'm going to be eating lunch > with Gwynne in the not distant future and I'll be the only one on > oxygen. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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