Boy With Heart Transplant Suffers Unexpected Setback

Jason Jenette, the 2-year-old boy who underwent a heart transplant at Loma Linda University Medical Center last week, took a turn for the worse Wednesday with the unexpected deterioration of his kidney, and possibly his brain, a hospital spokesman said.

“It’s not good,” said Dick Schaefer of Jason’s condition late Wednesday. “His heart is beating well. His lungs have recovered some of their functions . . . but he remains extremely ill due to the deterioration of other organs--his kidney and possibly his brain--overnight.”

Jason, who was born with a dime-size hole between two chambers of his heart, was flown from Hawaii to Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange last Sunday. He stayed at that hospital until a donor heart was found Saturday and he was moved to Loma Linda for the surgery.

The child was being monitored “minute to minute” Wednesday night, Schaefer said. “It’s too soon to say what caused the damage to the other organs, how much, or if it’s permanent.”