How a Triple Transplant Team Gave John Bell New Chance at Life

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center Teams Work Together to Perform Triple Transplant Surgery

John Bell was born with cystic fibrosis, but he didn’t let that stop him from doing anything he put his mind to as a child and teenager. When John moved to Houston for two years after high school, he began seeing the cystic fibrosis team with Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute at St. Luke’s Health–Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (Baylor St. Luke’s), the first comprehensive, multi-specialty lung institute in Texas.

While living in Alaska for the following two years, John didn’t have access to cystic fibrosis care and his lungs, liver and kidneys started declining. John returned to Baylor St. Luke’s, but the damage to his organs had been done.

In May 2018, John underwent a triple transplant at Baylor St. Luke’s, receiving three organs – lungs, liver and kidney – from the same donor simultaneously. This required detailed communication and cooperation among multiple organ teams and service lines within the hospital.

The collaborative approach among his lung team, Dr. Gabriel Loor, Dr.  Amit Parulekar, Dr. Tara Barto, and Dr. Marcia Katz and the kidney and liver team of Dr. John Goss and Dr. Nhu Thao Nguyen Galvan meant John received an integrated health care delivery in the most efficient and compassionate way possible.

John was walking the first day out of surgery and out of the ICU three days after his triple transplant.

“I am very impressed with the way the surgical teams interacted. There were many moving parts and countless team members that made my procedure happen,” said John. “I’m a unique case and other hospitals would not have performed the triple transplant I received at Baylor St. Luke’s. For that, I am forever grateful.”

The Baylor College of Medicine® Lung Institute at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center uses advanced technology, individualized treatment and the latest research to accurately diagnose and effectively treat patients with complex lung issues from all around the world. Backed by Baylor’s top-ranked genetics program, the institute offers a collaborative approach among specialties.