Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Jesica Santillan Dies

Aired February 22, 2003 - 18:22   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A brave girl's fight for live is over. Double transplant recipient Jesica Santillan was declared dead at 1:25 this afternoon. For the latest we're going to go to CNN's Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, who has been watching during this entire vigil.
Elizabeth, I've heard you have heard some news from the parents?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, Carol, could you say that again? I didn't hear that.

LIN: That you heard some news from Jesica's parents?

COHEN: No, we haven't heard from Jesica's parents, what we have heard is, as you said, that she was declared dead at 1:25, she was then taken off the respirator. Duke expressed great sorrow and regret over the error that occurred on February 7.

Duke takes full responsibility for the error, which was that she was supposed to get heart and lungs that were Type O, her blood type, and instead she got heart and lungs that were Type A. She then had to live with these organs for two weeks and then on Thursday had a second transplant with the correct organs. However, as we know now, that surgery was not a success.

Now, we have heard also from a family friend, she led a prayer in front of reporters. She said, Jesica is now an angel. Her work here on Earth is done, she has touched more people in one month than most people do in a life time.

And sort of an interesting end note to all of this, Duke, by law, as do all hospitals, has to ask family in situations like this, do you want to donate your loved ones organs after death? They asked the Santillan family and they said no -- Carol.

LIN: That's what I was talking about, that the decision was made as to whether to transplant those organs. Would that have been possible, though, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Yes, doctors tell us that it can be possible. The first ones that her body rejected, no, that wouldn't be possible because her body had rejected them and they weren't in good shape. However, her body took these organs just fine.

From what we've been told there was no problem with the organs. It was just that her body was in such terrible shape by the time she got that second surgery. She became very swollen. There was swelling in her brain. There was bleeding in her brain.

So, surgeons tell us that yes, it is possible, that organs that are transplanted into one person, after that person death, can go to somebody else.

LIN: Elizabeth, in this case this afternoon, we've all been talking in the newsroom, and just trying to reach clarity for ourselves, what is the difference between brain death and clinical death?

COHEN: There is actually no difference, Carol, between brain death and death. Let me explain the way that it works, because this is very confusing. Let's say a noon that doctors say OK, the tests have all shown that this person is brain dead.

They will often say to the family, you can come in, we'll keep the respirator on, so that the body will still be warm. This person, the chest will still go up and down. And you can say good-bye to your loved one. And then let's say they turn the respirator off at 2 o'clock.

Noon is the time of death on the death certificate. A person dies when their brain activity ceases. A respirator will keep them breathing and will keep their heart working, their chest will go up and down, but legally speaking they are dead because there is no brain activity. And the only reason they're breathing is that a machine is breathing for them -- Carol.

LIN: So what do you think is going to happen next in this case, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, you know, the Santillan family has retained the services of local medical malpractice attorney. He said that he was just here to help deal with the media and I said is the family planning on suing Duke. He said, I don't know, they haven't talked to me about that yet.

Of course, many people are anticipating a huge lawsuit from the Santillan family. Also, the Santillan family had said previously that they did not want her detached from the respirator. So, it is unclear to us exactly how this all transpired. But legally speaking, the hospital makes the decision about taking someone off the respirator. The family does not make the decision.

But I imagine they are not happy with the hospital now, because they did not want her removed from that respirator -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Elizabeth Cohen. I know it has been a long day for you. We appreciate it.

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 22, 2003 - 18:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A brave girl's fight for live is over. Double transplant recipient Jesica Santillan was declared dead at 1:25 this afternoon. For the latest we're going to go to CNN's Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, who has been watching during this entire vigil.
Elizabeth, I've heard you have heard some news from the parents?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, Carol, could you say that again? I didn't hear that.

LIN: That you heard some news from Jesica's parents?

COHEN: No, we haven't heard from Jesica's parents, what we have heard is, as you said, that she was declared dead at 1:25, she was then taken off the respirator. Duke expressed great sorrow and regret over the error that occurred on February 7.

Duke takes full responsibility for the error, which was that she was supposed to get heart and lungs that were Type O, her blood type, and instead she got heart and lungs that were Type A. She then had to live with these organs for two weeks and then on Thursday had a second transplant with the correct organs. However, as we know now, that surgery was not a success.

Now, we have heard also from a family friend, she led a prayer in front of reporters. She said, Jesica is now an angel. Her work here on Earth is done, she has touched more people in one month than most people do in a life time.

And sort of an interesting end note to all of this, Duke, by law, as do all hospitals, has to ask family in situations like this, do you want to donate your loved ones organs after death? They asked the Santillan family and they said no -- Carol.

LIN: That's what I was talking about, that the decision was made as to whether to transplant those organs. Would that have been possible, though, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Yes, doctors tell us that it can be possible. The first ones that her body rejected, no, that wouldn't be possible because her body had rejected them and they weren't in good shape. However, her body took these organs just fine.

From what we've been told there was no problem with the organs. It was just that her body was in such terrible shape by the time she got that second surgery. She became very swollen. There was swelling in her brain. There was bleeding in her brain.

So, surgeons tell us that yes, it is possible, that organs that are transplanted into one person, after that person death, can go to somebody else.

LIN: Elizabeth, in this case this afternoon, we've all been talking in the newsroom, and just trying to reach clarity for ourselves, what is the difference between brain death and clinical death?

COHEN: There is actually no difference, Carol, between brain death and death. Let me explain the way that it works, because this is very confusing. Let's say a noon that doctors say OK, the tests have all shown that this person is brain dead.

They will often say to the family, you can come in, we'll keep the respirator on, so that the body will still be warm. This person, the chest will still go up and down. And you can say good-bye to your loved one. And then let's say they turn the respirator off at 2 o'clock.

Noon is the time of death on the death certificate. A person dies when their brain activity ceases. A respirator will keep them breathing and will keep their heart working, their chest will go up and down, but legally speaking they are dead because there is no brain activity. And the only reason they're breathing is that a machine is breathing for them -- Carol.

LIN: So what do you think is going to happen next in this case, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, you know, the Santillan family has retained the services of local medical malpractice attorney. He said that he was just here to help deal with the media and I said is the family planning on suing Duke. He said, I don't know, they haven't talked to me about that yet.

Of course, many people are anticipating a huge lawsuit from the Santillan family. Also, the Santillan family had said previously that they did not want her detached from the respirator. So, it is unclear to us exactly how this all transpired. But legally speaking, the hospital makes the decision about taking someone off the respirator. The family does not make the decision.

But I imagine they are not happy with the hospital now, because they did not want her removed from that respirator -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Elizabeth Cohen. I know it has been a long day for you. We appreciate it.

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