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Breaking News

Santillan Out of Surgery

Aired February 20, 2003 - 10:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news now. CNN has learned that Jesica Santillan, who has received her second organ transplant, her second heart-lung transplant, is out of surgery this morning at Duke University.
Our Elizabeth Cohen is there at the hospital with more -- Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. The surgery started at 6:00 this morning, and it ended at 10:15. The surgeon said it went as well as to be expected. She is in critical condition, which is always the truth after a transplant surgery like this one. She is expected to be moved soon to the pediatric intensive care unit -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And we heard her lawyer come out a bit earlier and say that the heart was beating on its own. That at least would be a sign that things are going -- a little promising sign at least, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Right, that is a bit of a promising sign. They are -- obviously, she is not out of the woods yet. The doctors only gave her a 50/50 chance of survival. There were concerns, in fact, that she might not even make it through the surgery. She has indeed made it through the surgery. So things are certainly looking as good as could be expected at this point.

KAGAN: Well, we will take any little bit of good news as it comes our way and deliver it to our viewers. Elizabeth Cohen at Duke, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 20, 2003 - 10:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news now. CNN has learned that Jesica Santillan, who has received her second organ transplant, her second heart-lung transplant, is out of surgery this morning at Duke University.
Our Elizabeth Cohen is there at the hospital with more -- Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. The surgery started at 6:00 this morning, and it ended at 10:15. The surgeon said it went as well as to be expected. She is in critical condition, which is always the truth after a transplant surgery like this one. She is expected to be moved soon to the pediatric intensive care unit -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And we heard her lawyer come out a bit earlier and say that the heart was beating on its own. That at least would be a sign that things are going -- a little promising sign at least, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Right, that is a bit of a promising sign. They are -- obviously, she is not out of the woods yet. The doctors only gave her a 50/50 chance of survival. There were concerns, in fact, that she might not even make it through the surgery. She has indeed made it through the surgery. So things are certainly looking as good as could be expected at this point.

KAGAN: Well, we will take any little bit of good news as it comes our way and deliver it to our viewers. Elizabeth Cohen at Duke, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com