Western Medical Transplants Its 1st Kidney
A 22-year-old Lakewood man was supposed to receive a kidney from his sister, but she became pregnant and couldn’t donate. Instead, doctors at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana arranged to get Michael Lynch, 22, a kidney from a donor in Central California.
Lynch on Tuesday became Western Medical’s first patient to receive a kidney transplant, according to hospital spokeswoman Joleen Parham.
The hospital obtained a license to perform renal transplants in April, Parham said.
Western Medical has joined UCI Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital, both of Orange, as county hospitals licensed to perform the transplants.
The surgery team was headed by Dr. Garo Tertzakian, director of Western Medical’s kidney transplant program.
Lynch, who is studying criminal law at Cerritos College, is a diabetic. The transplant will prevent him from having to undergo dialysis.
Lynch was taken out of intensive care Thursday and resting comfortably, Parham said.
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