A single donated liver has given two patients — a toddler fighting for her life and a middle-aged woman — a second chance, thanks to a rare split-liver transplant performed at Children’s Health in Dallas.
Three-year-old Luna Sifuentes from West Texas was diagnosed with biliary atresia at just two months old. By six months, her condition had deteriorated to end-stage liver failure, requiring a transplant to survive. On November 18, 2024, she received approximately 30% of an adult donor’s liver, while the remaining 70% went to Rachel, a 53-year-old woman from Garland, Texas, in a complex procedure that saved two lives with a single organ.
A Surgical Marvel
“We actually divide the donor liver into two,” explained Dr. Yong Kwon, the pediatric transplant surgeon at Children’s Health who performed the procedure. It’s a delicate operation requiring precise surgical skills and timing. “It’s not being done everywhere, only by a few select centers,” Dr. Kwon noted.
In fact, Children’s Health is among just 10 pediatric hospitals nationwide capable of performing this specialized surgery. Across the country, only about 100 such procedures are completed annually, making this a relatively uncommon — but increasingly important — approach to addressing the critical organ shortage.
Luna’s mother, Ashtin Sifuentes, expressed profound gratitude for the donor’s family. “We are just grateful that they made that sacrifice to not only save my baby but another person,” she told reporters.
The Liver’s Remarkable Recovery
What makes this procedure particularly remarkable? The liver’s extraordinary regenerative capacity. Within approximately two months, both transplanted portions had grown to full size in their respective recipients, effectively creating two complete, functioning organs from one donation.
Children’s Health, in partnership with UT Southwestern, stands as the only health system in North Texas offering split-liver transplants. This capability has transformed regional transplant care, dramatically reducing wait times for critically ill patients.
Rachel, who received the larger portion of the liver, shares Luna’s family’s desire to connect with the donor’s loved ones. “I don’t think it will truly hit me until I get to thank the family of the person who donated it,” she said. “It’s pretty great. Two lives were saved because one was kind enough to donate their liver.”
Making a Difference
The impact of this surgical capability extends far beyond these two patients. Dr. Kwon’s arrival in Dallas has catalyzed significant progress in addressing the transplant backlog.
“Over the last 13, 14 months, we have done 27,” Dr. Kwon explained, referring to split-liver transplants performed at Children’s Health. Personally, he has completed seven such procedures since joining the team, helping to reduce the pediatric liver waitlist from 19 patients to just six.
Yet the broader need remains staggering. More than 100,000 people currently wait on the national organ transplant waitlist, with thousands dying daily while awaiting life-saving donations. Each split-liver procedure represents not just medical innovation but a mathematical advantage — turning one donation into two lives saved.
Could this approach become more widespread? Medical experts hope so, though the technical complexity of the surgery limits its adoption. Stories like Luna’s, however, serve as powerful reminders of both the critical need for organ donors and the innovative approaches that can maximize each precious gift.
For Luna, Rachel, and their families, the statistics matter less than the simple fact that somewhere, someone made a choice that saved their lives twice over — a legacy that will continue to grow along with their new livers.
