On Feb. 13, UCLA's Dumont Liver Transplant Program, the world's largest such program, performed its 4,000th transplant on Maria de Lourdes Molina, a 39-year-old single mother of four from San Clemente, Calif. The surgery was performed by Dr. Ronald Busuttil, UCLA's chairman of the surgery department and the world's preeminent liver-transplant surgeon.

Her condition is so good that she is expected to be released this week.

Molina, who came to the United States from Mexico in 1990, was diagnosed with liver disease about eight years ago. But as a single mother supporting the three children she had at the time, she continued to work and was forced to ignore her condition. About a year ago, she fell seriously ill and was told she needed a transplant, which was successfully performed at UCLA Medical Center --- making her the center's 4,000th liver-transplant patient.

"When one considers the personal and institutional commitment and resources that are required for a single liver transplant, the performance of 4,000 is truly an extraordinary accomplishment," Busuttil said. "But more importantly, the number of lives saved and touched is even more awe-inspiring. None of this could have happened without the overwhelming dedication, compassion and expertise of the UCLA transplant team."

And now, Molina feels she has a new lease on life and is grateful to UCLA for that new chance.

"Thanks to UCLA here I am," she said. "My doctors here are magnificent!"

Established in 1984, the Dumont Liver Transplant Program at UCLA has grown into the world's most active program, using the most innovative surgical techniques, advances in immuno-suppressive drugs and quality care to save the lives of thousands of adult and pediatric patients. These patients come from California, Oregon, Washington and the Southwest, as well as from other countries. Additionally, UCLA serves as the tertiary referral center for other transplant programs.

The program, one of the nation's first, was established by Busuttil, currently professor of transplantation surgery and chief of the division of liver and pancreas transplantation in the department of surgery. He has directed the program since its inception. Busuttil also established the pancreas transplant program in 1993.

The UCLA Dumont Liver Transplant Program encompasses the entire spectrum of transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery. These include adult and pediatric transplantation, living-related and split-liver transplantation, as well as pancreas and liver/small bowel transplantation. It also includes every kind of tertiary complex hepatobiliary surgery, such as biliary tract reconstruction, portal hypertensive surgery and resections for hepatic malignancies.

An internationally renowned surgeon, Busuttil alone has performed more than 3,000 liver transplants.

-UCLA-

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