Japanese Toddler Gets a New Heart
A Japanese toddler who came to the United States for a heart transplant was in critical condition Saturday at UCLA Medical Center after receiving a new heart.
Eighteen-month-old Rina Taira came to Los Angeles last month for the procedure, which Japanese law prohibits for young children.
The toddler underwent four hours of surgery early Friday morning after a donor heart was flown from Phoenix, said Matt Brown, a spokesman for the medical center.
Rina’s critical condition is common for patients after a heart transplant, he added.
The toddler was diagnosed shortly after birth with a condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy, a genetic disease in which the heart muscle becomes so enlarged that it is unable to effectively pump blood. A support group in Japan raised about $384,000 to finance the operation.
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