A first in the medical literature: Bloodless liver transplant

Hakan Çor, who needed a liver transplant, received a negative response from many hospitals that he applied to, because he could not receive blood transfusion and donate blood due to his religious belief. Prof. Dr. Kamil Yalçın Polat and his team from Istanbul accepted the operation and a successful liver transplant was performed without using blood or any blood product. It was stated that the operation was a first in its field. Hakan Çor stated that it is not possible for him to give blood because of his religious belief (Jehovah’s witnesses). He suddenly fell ill last August. He went to the hospital and learned that he needed a liver transplant. However, Jehovah’s witnesses do not receive blood transfusions because of their beliefs. Hakan Çor, a jeweler, made extensive and long research. General surgeon Prof. Dr. Kamil Yalçın Polat and his team successfully performed the surgery without using any blood or blood products. It is stated that the operation is a first in the medical literature. General surgeon Prof. Dr. Kamil Yalçın Polat, said, regarding the operation: “Patients with liver failure and cirrhosis are particularly prone to bleeding. There are a few cases made from cadavers without using blood, but it is the first case in the world where no blood transfusion or blood products have been used in a living donor liver transplantation.” Mr. Çor searched many hospitals around the world for surgery and doctors refused to perform the operation. He conveyed that a doctor from a large hospital in France was contacted. But the doctor declared that he could not perform such an operation without blood transfusion. Everywhere they searched, doors were shut in their faces. The explanation has been made regarding the operation, which stated that a special work was carried out to prevent the use of blood and blood products during the operation: “Especially the period when the liver comes out (extracted) is the period when the risk of bleeding is highest. We prevented bleeding at that time with some protective drugs. In this way, a bloodless operation was performed.” Fifteen people took the tests to be donors for Mr. Çor. The donor was her niece, Julia Çor, who lives in France. After a successful and difficult operation, Hakan Çor regained his health.