Sebelius: I Can’t Step Into Girl’s Transplant Case (When Other Children Are Just As Sick.)

[laundry_queen]

8. I understand that

I get all the size matching. I've read plenty of lung transplant stories where a slight woman waits longer than a tall man because it's harder to find a size match. But it was also my understanding that they are able to modify lungs to fit. It's definitely not ideal but many people have no choice - they will die soon without them. I'd counter that unless the outcomes were really horrible for children/modified lungs, it's the best chance that a child under 12 has. I also understand the size matching that goes on, however, it's often the case that they make allowances for the sickest patients (the ones closest to death) by accepting lungs that may be a tad big or small or whatever (ie smoker's lungs). It's up to each individual transplant surgeon what organs they accept or not. What if the lungs of a small woman become available that may fit? This child won't even have the chance to get those lungs, which may very well go to someone who is not as sick as she is, which I think is a shame. There shouldn't be an arbitrary age cut off, IMO.