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First Pediatric Liver Transplant Performed in Central Florida

Now children and families won't have to drive to Miami for the surgery. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons
Now children and families won't have to drive to Miami for the surgery. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

Florida Hospital’s Dr. Regino Gonzalez-Peralta says the first pediatric liver transplant has taken place in Central Florida. He says surgeons and support staff from Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC traveled to Orlando to train the team in the complicated procedure.

“I think this is a novel way to be able to support, to be able to provide, high tech care locally.”

Peralta says the team will continue to travel from Pittsburgh as needed, and participate in weekly video conference calls about best practices regarding the surgery. He sees this as a way to train doctors in other technically difficult procedures in the future.

If you'd like to listen to the full story, please click on the clip above.

Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.