Baby Fae
Encyclopedia
Stephanie Fae Beauclair better known as Baby Fae, was an American infant
born in 1984 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
. She became the first infant subject of a xenotransplant procedure, receiving the heart
of a baboon
. The procedure, performed by Leonard L. Bailey
at Loma Linda University Medical Center
, initially appeared to be successful, but Fae died 21 days later of a kidney
infection. The procedure was subject to a wide ethical and legal debate.
Although Fae's full name was not made public at the time of the procedure, her mother chose to reveal herself in 1997.
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
born in 1984 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome , is a rare congenital heart defect in which the left ventricle of the heart is severely underdeveloped.-Causes:...
. She became the first infant subject of a xenotransplant procedure, receiving the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
of a baboon
Baboon
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
. The procedure, performed by Leonard L. Bailey
Leonard L. Bailey
Leonard L. Bailey a surgeon at Loma Linda University Medical Center who on October 26, 1984, placed the heart of a baboon into the chest of "Baby Fae", a neonatal infant born with a severe heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome...
at Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda University Medical Center is a teaching hospital on the campus of Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, United States. The medical center serves as a level I trauma center for San Bernardino County and the rest of the Inland Empire. It is one of two closest trauma centers for...
, initially appeared to be successful, but Fae died 21 days later of a kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
infection. The procedure was subject to a wide ethical and legal debate.
Although Fae's full name was not made public at the time of the procedure, her mother chose to reveal herself in 1997.
Sources
- Adventist news Network 25th-anniversary retrospective - http://news.adventist.org/2009/10/surgeon-bailey-refle.html
- Contemporary Time Magazine coverage - http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926947,00.html
- Emmy Award-winning documentary "Stephanie's Heart: The Story of Baby Fae" in two parts -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAJ6-fSD-Y