Man needed three organ transplants—received all three in one day from a single donor

The man was giving up on hope as he needed three vital organ transplants and was running out of time.

PUBLISHED 13 HOURS AGO

(L) A doctor talking to a man at a hospital. (R) The man talking about his surgery. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Creatas; YouTube | ABC News

Some people get a new chance at life in the most unexpected situations. One man went through just that after he needed a triple organ donation to keep going. The man, Sergio Arias Cestoni, needed a heart, liver and kidney transplant to stay alive and prospects of getting all three looked bleak. But then he ended up receiving all three organs in a single day from the same donor, per ABC News. Sergio felt that god played a role in all of it, along with the doctors.

Man lying on a hospital bed with his face in his hands. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Miodrag Ignjatovic

"I do believe that god was working with all these people around me," Sergio admitted. He went through a rare procedure to transplant all three organs and was recovering well after the surgery. "I feel so proud to get all these organs and I want to try to honor my donor." The 47-year-old man had been suffering from heart disease and it had worsened due to diabetes. He had a heart surgery in 2018, but his liver started to fail after that and his kidneys started failing last year. Sergio was giving up on hope because of everything that was happening to him. The man really needed to get all three organs as soon as possible and eventually got a call about a donor in February this year.

A medical team working to conduct an organ transplant. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Sturti

"It was a big moment for me. I didn't know if I should smile or if I should cry," Sergio went on. 13 doctors worked for 14 hours to transplant all three organs for the man in a single surgical procedure. "A complex endeavor for a hospital to carry out," Dr. Nabil Dagher, Northwell Transplant Institute Director, expressed. Triple transplants are rare, but getting all three organs from a single donor was a miracle, according to the doctors. It was a one-in-a-million match, per the outlet. "It's definitely not another day in the office, not a regular day. Moments like this are very rewarding to the team," Dr. Ahmel Fahmy, a kidney transplant surgeon, shared.

The incident reinstated Sergio's belief in miracles. Fewer than 80 triple organ transplants have been attempted in the US, per CBS New York. The chances of success in such a case in even lower. "I can now feel my heart beating more strongly," Sergio told the outlet with a chuckle. "To have all three be a match for him is indeed a miracle," Dagher explained. The donor was unidentified, per the outlet. A rotating and coordinated team of doctors performed the surgery. "It was really a highlight of my career to be a part of this operation," another medical team member pointed out.

The man celebrated his second chance at life with his mother and wife, who had been by his side at the hospital for months. "I feel excellent, very different. I started this process for a transplant in November last year and I could just walk a couple of blocks." Now the man can walk 30 minutes a day and his prescription of pills would come down, too. There have been no signs of organ rejection. Sergio hopes to resume college courses and life with his wife, parents, brothers and community. "Miracles exist," the man remarked.