Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) — Heart transplant patient Tee Hui Yi, 14, is recuperating well at the National Heart Institute and also appears to be more cheerful.

According her mother, Dina Bato Sam Bua, 46, she can move her hands and fingers more actively and is even able to smile although hooked on to a ventilator.

“The ventilator will be removed once the doctor who is caring for Hui Yi, Dr Mohamed Ezani Md. Taib, returns to work after celebrating Hari Raya soon,” Dina said when contacted by Bernama Tuesday.

She added that Hui Yi was also having a much better appetite.

Hui Yi underwent a second heart transplant operation on October 5 after her body rejected the first heart she received on October 3.

– BERNAMA

New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR:

Tee Hui Yi, 14, has been taken off the ventilator after being on it since last Wednesday.
Doctors, who are satisfied with her progress after two heart transplants on Oct 4 and 5, removed the ventilator at 11.35am yesterday.

National Heart Institute consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Pau Kiew Kong said: “She is getting stronger and we hope she will do well with good food and exercise.”

Furthermore, he said, a heart biopsy indicated that her body had not rejected the new heart.

“We will be doing another heart biopsy next week and this will continue for at least six more weeks,” said Dr Pau.
Tee, who also has been fed through a tube since last Wednesday, will now be able to take some soft food.

As for double-lung transplant patient Lang Kong, 39, of Sarawak, Dr Pau said he was doing fine and well into full recovery.

Anyone who wishes to be an organ donor, or donate the organs of a brain-dead relative, can contact the National Organ Transplant Co-ordinating Centre at 03-26942705/704 or 03-26156576, or the toll-free line at 1-800-88-9080.

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Tee Hui Yi may not be able to talk just yet but she is already using hand gestures to indicate that she wants the ventilator tube out of her mouth.

The 14-year-old heart transplant patient was doing well and might be unhooked from the ventilator by today, said National Heart Institute heart and lung transplant unit clinical director Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib.

“She is using hand gestures to tell us what she wants and right now, she is indicating that she wants the tube out,” Dr Mohamed Ezani said yesterday.

He said the support that Hui Yi needs during the day-time would be reduced step-by-step to let her practise breathing on her own and increased at night to ensure she gets a good night’s rest.

“We are optimistic (about her recovery) and hope to remove the tube soon,” he added.

Hui Yi, who was previously relying on a 9kg battery-powered mechanical heart, was given a new lease of life when she had not one, but two heart transplants recently.

Her body rejected the first heart but she miraculously received another heart donation within 24 hours and underwent her second transplant on Oct 5.

Loh Foon Fong
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Heart transplant patient Tee Hui Yi was mostly breathing on her own Friday and, if all goes well, the ventilator will be removed on Saturday.

The National Heart Institute transplant team head Datuk Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub said the medical personnel were building her up gradually on nutrition, muscle strength and breathing ability as her body had been weak before surgery.

“We are taking it one day at a time,” he said.

Hui Yi’s ventilator was removed Tuesday but put back on the following day when she was feeling tired breathing on her own, he said after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil visited Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Hui Yi and lung transplant patient Lang Kong.

“Adik Tee’s heart biopsy test showed no signs of organ rejection. We remain optimistic about her progress,” said the chief cardiothoracic surgeon.

“She was alert and cheerful and shook hands with Datuk Seri Najib. She cannot talk because of a tube in her airways but she can communicate well with us through gestures. She can move her hands, her legs, turn her body and smile,” he added.

Hui Yi is still on nasal gastric tube feeding, he said.

The media were not allowed to visit her in the Intensive Care Unit.

“We have to restrict visits because it is a critical time for her. We have given her a lot of immuno suppressant drugs for the body and this lowers her defence against infection,” he said.

On when she would be able to come out of ICU, Datuk Mohd Azhari was unable to say that she would be monitored daily adding that doctors and nurses would be on call over the Hari Raya weekend.

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Heart transplant girl Tee Hui Yi’s body is showing almost no rejection of the new organ she received.

National Heart Institute heart and lung transplant unit clinical director, Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, said a biopsy conducted yesterday showed that her body was experiencing Grade 1A rejection.

“It means almost no rejection,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Lower grade numbers meant low levels of rejection while Grade Four was the highest level of transplanted organs.

Dr Ezani said Hui Yi was put back on a ventilator to help her with breathing.

“She was not strong enough. She is still weak. She needs more nutrition,” he said, adding that she would be on it for another day.

He said Hui Yi was also doing her exercises well.

Hui Yi went through two operations – on Oct 3 and Oct 4 – after her body rejected the first heart which came from a 15-year-old boy from Sitiawan, Perak.

She fared better with the second heart from a 20-year-old mechanic, declared brain dead after an accident in Johor Baru, enabling her to have a second transplant.

As for the patient who received the 15-year-old’s lungs, Dr Ezani said he completed a 300m walk without any problem.

“This is amazing. Before the transplant, he was completely tied down to the oxygen cylinder.”