Patient Receives Donor Stem Cells After Liver Transplant

A patient who received a liver transplant also obtained stem cells from her organ donor, according to a report from NBC News. Doctors involved in the case hope the innovative technique will enable the patient to forgo the anti-rejection medications typically required after such surgeries.

The patient, who received a liver from her sister, participated in the procedure designed to prevent her body from rejecting the new organ. Organ transplant recipients commonly take immunosuppressant drugs daily to suppress their immune systems and prevent rejection. These medications can carry side effects.

NBC News correspondent Camila Bernal spoke with the patient regarding her experience. The report did not detail specific medical outcomes or the long-term efficacy of the stem cell introduction.