WH continued its legacy of excellence in organ transplantation marking yet another milestone, performing the nation’s first quintuple (five) lung transplants within a 36-hour period. The achievement, which took place earlier this month, was acknowledged on Wednesday during a well-attended press conference in Carrie Hall.

In what can aptly be described as a medical miracle, more than 100 BWH surgeons, nurses and staff, comprising five intensely coordinated thoracic surgical teams, harvested five lungs from three separate donors and transplanted them into five patients within 36 hours. Today, all five patients are progressing well; two have been discharged and three are currently recovering as inpatients at the hospital.

“This amazing achievement, which has positively altered the lives of five individuals and their families, clearly highlights the talent and dedication that characterizes the caliber and ability of this hospital to accomplish such a milestone,” said Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, BWH president.

The quintuple lung transplants are the latest in a long history of accomplishment for BWH in the field of organ transplantation that began 50 years ago when the first successful human organ transplant (a kidney) in the world was conducted at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital by Dr. Joseph Murray, who won a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking efforts. 2004 also marks the 20th anniversary of New England’s first heart transplant, which likewise took place at BWH. And nearly 14 years ago, Dr. David J. Sugarbaker, chief of BWH Thoracic Surgery, performed the first single and first double lung transplants in New England with the assistance of Dr. Steven Mentzer, who is now director of the BWH Thoracic Intensive Care Unit. Currently, the New England Organ Bank reports that only 25 lung transplants were performed in Massachusetts last year, 18 of them at BWH.

“Few institutions are capable of this type of surgical performance,” said Raphael Bueno, MD, associate chief of BWH Thoracic Surgery and surgical director of the BWH Lung Transplant Program, who led one of the transplant teams. “The expertise, training and determination of everyone involved allowed this hospital to perform such a exceptional surgical feat.

The tireless dedication and unselfish teamwork of the doctors, nurses and staff truly makes them the heroes of this achievement.”

“Five successive lung transplants are a great example of teamwork across many disciplines resulting in the highest quality care for BWH patients,” added Aaron Deykin, MD, medical director of the BWH Lung Transplantation and Pulmonary Function Laboratory. Pulmonologists, like Deykin, are responsible for the primary care of lung transplant patients both before and after their transplant surgeries.

This historical event provides further evidence of the vital importance of organ donation, a sentiment that was best captured by the lung recipients themselves. “I can never thank the donor family enough for giving me this precious gift,” said lung recipient Marie Burke, a 65-year-old Stoneham resident who is a mother of four children and a grandmother of five. “Taking that first breath after the surgery was the best feeling in the world. And I have nothing but praise for the brilliant doctors and professional staff at the Brigham that did such a superb job in making it all possible.”

Many BWH departments dedicated their time and support to care for these five lung recipients, including Thoracic Surgery, Pulmonary, Anesthesia, Nursing, Pharmacy Services, Emergency Medicine, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, Central Transport, Food Services, Nutrition, Environmental Services and Engineering.