Lurie Children’s Transplant Expertise Shines in Record-Breaking Year 

Hospital currently leads country in pediatric heart transplantation 

Newswise — Lurie Children’s surpassed a hospital record in its recent fiscal year by performing a record 140 pediatric transplants, including, heart, kidney, liver and stem cell. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Furthermore, the hospital leads the country in performing pediatric heart transplants for 2024 thus far, having done 24 since January. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

The milestone underscores Lurie Children’s expertise in complex surgery for children and in organ and stem cell transplantation.   

“Being a leader in pediatric transplantation speaks to the commitment Lurie Children’s has to practicing the best possible medicine and offering the most compassion to the patients and families we serve,” said Estella Alonso, MD, medical director of The Siragusa Transplantation Center at Lurie Children’s, adding, “It’s important to recognize that these transplants would not have been possible without the selfless decisions made by organ donors and their families.”  

From September 2023-August 2024, the surgical and medical teams at Lurie Children’s performed:  

Lurie Children’s offers high volumes of organ transplantation thanks in large part to being home to a wide range of collaborative pediatric specialists who treat newborns and children with medically complex conditions, including children who need more than one type of transplant. Furthermore, its proximity to Northwestern Medicine allows Lurie Children’s to perform high volumes of liver and kidney donations from living donors. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

The state’s most experienced heart transplant program  

Lurie Children’s Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Program has been in the top 10 hospitals in the country by volume for pediatric heart transplants since 2016. Long-term survival rate for Lurie Children’s heart transplant patients is above the national average.    

In July, Lurie Children’s Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery ranked #1 in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2024. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

“Our team’s expertise and commitment mean we consistently achieve some of the best outcomes for pediatric heart transplantation in the country,” said Michael Mongé, MD, surgical director of Lurie Children’s Heart Transplant Program. “It’s a privilege to support these courageous children and their families.”  

An extraordinary kidney transplant team  

Meanwhile, Lurie Children’s Kidney Transplantation Program has performed more than 850 kidney transplants since the program performed Illinois’ first kidney transplant in a child in 1964. It has 100 percent pediatric patient and organ survival rates one-year post-transplant.   

Priya Verghese, MD, medical director of Lurie Children’s Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program and division head of Nephrology, said she anticipates the outstanding program will continue to grow with children from across the state, country and parts of the world. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

“Every young person deserves the chance to be healthy and thrive. Our goal is to champion the best clinical outcomes for every child that needs us, through medical innovation and research,” Dr. Verghese said.   

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is also committed to organ donation awareness and advocacy – a crucial factor in identifying the best donor matches for patients who need them the most.

“Thanks to the gifted team at Lurie Children’s, hundreds of children each year from across the country have the opportunity to grow up and live a healthy life,” said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office maintains one of the largest organ and tissue donation registries in the nation with more than six million donors. “The more people know about organ donation, its benefits, and the impact that it has on lives, the more likely they will become donors. That’s why my office is proud to work alongside Lurie Children’s and other hospitals to spread the word about organ donation and give children a fighting chance to take back their future.” 

Learn more about organ donation at donatelife.net.

About Lurie Children’s   

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 30 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.